
aassJm? 

Book , V/a 



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AN ILLUSTRATED 



HI5TOPY 



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Walla Walla County 



5TATI: or WASHINGTON 



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PPOI l:550P W. D. LVMAN 



\V. II. LEVER, Pum.isiiEij 

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DEDICATED 



TO THE 



PIONEERS OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY 

THH BRAVE MHN AND DEVOTIiD WOMEN 



THOSE WHO HAVE GONE AM) 
THOSE WHO REMAIN 



■ Tct never a doubt, nay, never a fear 
Of old, or nozt', inczv the pioneer.''' 



PREFACE. 



The volume herewith presented speaks for itself, and extended preface is unneces- 
sary. It is fitting, however, that special thanks be given here by the author of the 
historical portion of the work to those who have so kindly assisted, by information, 
suggestion, and encouragement, in its preparation. 

Among these may be named the committee of endorsement, Messrs. Frank Paine, 
Lewis McMorris, and W. S. Gilliam, to whose patient attention and invaluable 
corrections the author is especially indebted. 

Particular mention should be made of the assistance given by Prof. J. A. Keener, of 
Waitsburg Academy, in the elaborate account of that institution. 

Prof. O. A. Hauerbach, of Whitman College, should be credited with the author- 
ship of the greater part of chapter twenty-three, and Mr. W. M. Proctor with that of 
chapter twenty-two. 

Many citizens of Walla Walla have given important information and have evinced 
an interest in the work, and a spirit of local patriotism which is one of the best auguries 
for a noble future in the historic county of Walla Walla. 

To these and all the hearty thanks of both publisher and author are due and are 
hereby most cordially tendered. 



AN ENDORSEMENT. 



We, the undersigned, after listening to the reading of the manuscript containing the 
"" History of Walla Walla County," written by W. D. Lyman, bear testimony that it 
gives evidence of extensive reading and conscientious research, and presents to our best 
knowledge, an accurate, comprehensive and impartial record of events, and as such we 
endorse and commend it. 

Lewis McMorris, 



,,T c- /- I Committee 

W. S. Gilliam, \ 

c- ,,. n \ of Citizens. 

F. \\ . Paine, | -^ 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



INTRODUCTION. 
Discoveries on the North Pacific Coast. 

Strait of Anian — Sir Francis Dralie — Juan de Fuca — Admiral de Fonte — Russian Exploration — Captain 
James Cook — Beginning of the Fur-trade — Troubles at Nootka — The " River of the West " — Captain 
Gray's Discovery — Explorations by land — Purchase of Louisiana — Lewis and Clark Expedition — Hunt's 
Expedition — The Tonquin Tragedy — Dawning ° I the Present 1 

CHAPTER L 
The Oregon Question. 

Great Britain's Claims — Hudson's Bay Company — Opinions of American Statesmen — Joint Occupation — 
Treaty of 1846 33 

CHAPTER IL 
The Inception of American History in Washington. 

Michael T. Simmons — Founding of Seattle — Division of Territory — Appointment of Isaac L Stevens as 

Governor — Boundaries of Washington Territory 37 

CHAPTER III. 
Missions of Walla Walla and Whitman Massacre. 

The Missionary Impulse — Parker, Whitman, Spalding — Mission at Waiilatpu — Whitman's Ride — The 
Massacre — Mr. Osborne's Reminiscences — " The Christmas Dinner '' — Cayuse War — Reminiscences 
of L. T. Boyd 40 

CHAPTER IV. 

Atte.mpts to Organize Walla Walla County. 

The Original County Boundaries — First Appointment of Officers — First Settlements— Gold Discoveries. . . 55 

CHAPTER V. 
Indian Wars of the 'Fifties. 

Troubles of 1853-.54— Council at Walla Walla— Looking Glass vs. Lawyer — Treaty Ratified— Its Provisions 
— Kamiakin and Peupeumoxmox — Outbreak of War — Battle of Walla Walla— Colonel Kelly's Report 
— Governor Stevens' Report — Stevens and Wool 58 

CHAPTER VI. 
Indian Wars of the 'Fifties — Continued. 

Campaign of '66— Battle of Grande Ronde— Colonel Shaw's Report — Second Walla Walla Council — Battle 
near Walla Walla — Trouble Between Stevens and the Regulars — Steptoe's Defeat — Its Avenging— 
Wool's Policy Reversed 77 



viii CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER VII. 
Definite Organization of Walla Walla and Political History, 1869-63. 

Early Settlers— First Appointments of Officers— Walla Walla Christened— Election of 1860— Effects of 
Gold Excitement — Sergeant Smith's Gold Discoveries — Beginnings of Business — Hard Winter of 1861- 
62— Famine Prices— Rush of Gold Seekers in '62— Election of 1862— Development of the Wheat 
Industry *^6 

CHAPTER VIII. 
Political History of Walla Walla County, 1863-66. 

Gold Discoveries in Boise— Stage Lines— O. S. N. Co.— Election of 1863— George E. Cole, Delegate— Effect 
of Rebellion on Politics — Founding of Waitsburg — Election of 1866 95 

CHAPTER IX. 
General and Political History of Walla Walla County, 1866-74. 

New Routes to Idaho— Attempts at Annexation to Oregon— Exportations of Flour— Election of Alvin 
Flanders to Congress— First Court House— Philip Ritz's Flour Trade— Starting of Railroad Projects- 
Selucius Garfielde— Election of 1868— Investigating County Officials— Ambitions of Waitsburg— 
Census of 1870— Election of 1870— Renewal of Attempts at Annexation— Railroad Projects— Founding 
of Dayton — Election of 1872— New Court House — Election of 1874 99 

CHAPTER .\. 
Annals of the Years 1875-1881. 

Completion of Walla Walla & Columbia River Railroad— Division of County — Industrial Statistics- 
Election of 1876— Finances— Constitutional Convention— Election of 1878— Efforts at Statehood- 
Election of 1880 110 

CHAPTER XI. 
Walla Walla County Elections, 1882-1900. 

Thomas H. Brents— " Bossism "—Election Statistics to 1900— The Voting Precincts— Statehood— Walla 
Walla .Men in Cjagress- Penitentiary Politics — Present Situation— -Auditor's Report 115 

CHAPTER XII. 

The Land We Live In. 

Variety of Resources— Selection from Post-Intelligencer— Inland Empire— Legend of the Walla Walla 

Valley—" Beautiful W.illa W.illa "—Selection from Huwthjrne's History 120 

CHAPTER XIII. 

A Journey Through Walla Walla County. 

Enter County from the North— Waitsburg— Wait's Mill— Town Government in 1881— Churches of Waits- 
burg— Fraternities of Waitsburg— Schools and Public Improvements of the Town— Farming Region 
Adjoining— Dixie— Farming Region Adjoining Dixie— Farms Between Mill Creek and Russell Creek- 
Eureka Junction— "Wheat Kings"— Wallula— Fort Walla Walla of Hudson's Bay Times— McKinley 
and Pambrun— Abandonment of Fort Walla Walla by the English— Establishment of Steamboats on 
the River— Touchet—Frenchtown— The Garden and Orchard Lands— Dry Creek Ranches— Prescott 
— The New Farming Lands — The Alto Hill 1'j3 

CHAPTER XIV. 

The Industries of Walla Walla County. 

\'iew From Pike's Peak— Physical Characteristics of the County— Story of Wishpoosh— The Stock Business 
—Statistics— Agriculture— Beginnings of Wheat and Flour Exportations— Dr. Blalock's Big Crop- 
Horticulture and Fruit Raising— Nurseries and Orchards— Fruit Fairs— Markets for Fruit— The Flour- 



CONTENTS. ix 

ing Mills — Their Output— The Gilbert Hunt Factory — Roberts' Foundry — Whitehouse & Crimmins' 
Factory — Other Lumbering Establishments— The Weber Tannery — Creameries — The Cox & Bailey 
Manufactory — Ringhofer Bros.' Saddle-tree Factory — Marble Works — Summary of Other Business 
Establishments 145 

CHAPTER XV. 
The Transportation Line.'; of Walla Walla County. 

Voyageurs and Bateaus — Early Steamboat Lines— Oregon Steam Navigation Company — Dr. D. S. Baker — 
— First Railroad Agitation — Grading at Wallula — Paper Railroads — Completion of Dr. Baker's Rail- 
road — Bought out by O. S. N. Co. — Stage Lines — Transcontinental Railroads — Northern Pacific — The 
Hunt Road— The 6. R. & N. System 165 

CHAPTER XVL 

Educational Institutions of Walla Walla County. 

Education in the West — Public Schools of Walla Walla County and City at Present — The High School— 
The Public School System in Early Days — Its Development — Whitman College — St. Paul's School — 
La Salle Institute — St. Vincent's Academy — Walla Walla College — Business College — VVaitsburg 
Academy l'i'4 

CHAPTER XVII. 
Earlier History of Walla Walla County, 1862-88. 

Establishment of Fort Walla Walla — Beginnings of Business — Steptoeville, Waiilatpu, Walla Walla — 
First Election — Successive Elections — City Indebtedness — Division into Wards — First Efforts at Munic- 
ipal System of Water Works IST 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

Later History of City Government of Walla Walla, 1883-1900. 

Charter of 1883 — City Wards — Apportionment of Councilmen — Election Statistics to Present Time 194 

CHAPTER XIX. 

The Churches of Walla Walla. 

Ancient Churches — Catholic Church — First Methodist Church — St. Paul's Episcopal Church — First Con- 
gregational Church — Cumberland Presbyterian Church — Christian Church — Baptist Church — Method- 
ist Episcopal Church, South — German Methodist Episcopal Church — First Presbyterian Church I9s 

CHAPTER XX. 

Fraternal and Other Organizations of the City of Walla Walla. 

Freemasonry — Odd Fellows — Odd Fellows' Home of Washington — Young Men's Institute — United Arti- 
sans — National Union — Pioneers of the Pacific — United Workmen — Degree of Honor — Women of 
Woodcraft — Woodmen of the World — Foresters of America — Knights of Pythias — Rathbone Sisters- 
Ladies of the Maccabees — Modern Woodmen of America — Improved Order of Red Men — Degree of 
Pocahontas — Royal Arcanum— Good Templars — Grand Army of the Republic — A. Lincoln Relief 
Corps — Sons of Herman — Order of Washington — Spanish-American War Veterans — Fraternal- Order 
of Eagles— Building Association— Walla Walla Gun Club— Walla Walla Club— Walla Walla City 
Library — Women's Reading Club — The Ladies' Relief Society — Walla Walla's Part in the Philippine 
War— Welcome Home 208 

CHAPTER XXL 

Journalism in Walla Walla County. 

The Pioneer Printing Press— The Walla Walla Press— The Washington Statesman— The Walla Walla 
Statesman — The Union — The Journal— The Garden City Gazette, the Watchman and the Walla Walla 
Record — The Argus — The Inland Empire — The Waitsburg Times — The Waitsburg Gazette 227 



X CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER XXII. 
The Bench and Bar of Walla Walla. 

Old Times in the Circuit — The Days of Six-shooters in Court — Judge Strong's Court — Judge Wyche — Judge 
Oliphant and the Court "Getting Roused "—Judge Kennedy— Judge Lewis and his Peculiar Resigna- 
tion — Judge Wingard and his Lengthy Term — Judge Langford, Last of the Territorial Judges — Law- 
yers of the Olden Times — Superior Judges Since Statehood — Judge Upton — Judge Brents— Some 
Important Cases — The Thomas Murder Case — The Elfers Murder Case — Mrs. Pyle and J. T. Hurn — 
The Royse Murder Trial — The Case of Isaacs vs. Barber — The Case of Denny vs. Parker — The Walla 
Walla Water Case .' . 233 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

Walla Walla in the Olden TiiMes. 

Richness of Material— Joe Lewis — The Vigilantes — Story of " Slim Jim "—The Story of Furth Patterson — 
Disunion Sentiment During the War— Union Flag at Milton — Political Business Men— Dr. Baker and 
his Railroad — "Wabash," and his flag— " Gentle Eells— " Portuguese Joe"— Allen's Knowlege of Faro 
—Colonel George and his Plug Hat— Ditto with the Water I5ottle— His Bet with the Priest— Floods in 
Walla Walla — Fires— Ancient Barrenness and Present Verdure 241 

CHAPTER XXIV. 
Walla Walla City ln I90L 

By Way of Pasco— The State Penitentiary— The Sewerage System— Water Works— Law Suit Between 
Company and City— Establishment of Municipal Ownership of Water Works— The Hotels— The Banks 
—The Stores— The Residence Section— Suburban Homes— Visit to the Schools— The Telephone 
System— The Lighting System— Telegraphic Reminiscences— The Defunct Street Car System— Public 
Benefactions— Amusements and Entertainments— Condition of the Churches— The Postal Business— 
The City Fire Department— The Question of a New Charter— Opposing Opinions of the Press— Fort 
Walla Walla— Adjoining Attractions 2.i2 



GENERAL ILLUSTRATIONS 



PAGE 

■ County Court House and Hall of Records 5B 

Combined Harvester 144 

Main Street, Walla Walla, in 1877 2fi4 

Main Street, Walla Walla, in 1901 2fi4 

Odd Fellows' Home, Walla Walla 21fi 

Walla Walla City Hall, Police and Fire Station 216 

- Walla Walla College 184 

■ State Penitentiary and Warden's Residence, Walla Walla 252 

■ Waitsburg Academy 136 

Waitsburg Public School 136 



PORTRAIT INDEX. 



PAGE 
A. 

Abbey, Henry J 384 

Abbott, John F 472 

Aldrich, Newton 480 

B. 

Baker, Dorsey S 288 

Berryman, J. E 496 

Blalock, N.G 472 

Bowers, C. J 502 

Bowers, Mrs. C. J 502 

Boyer, John FrankMn 296 

Bradbury, George W 4H6 

Brents, Thomas Hurley . 304 

C. 

Castleman, Nelson 432 

D. 

Dacres, George 4.52 

Delany, George 424 

Denne'y, Nathaniel B 488 

Denney, Mrs. Nathaniel B 48S 

Devvar, James M 476 

Dinges, Solomon 496 

E. 

EUingsworth, William 392 

H. 

Harbert, Joseph W 448 

Hardman, Sol 492 

Hardman, Mrs. S 492 

Harnien, Charles T.. 472 

Harmen, Mrs. Charles T 472 

Hoffmann, John o60 



Hoffmann, Mrs. John 
Hood, John R 



PAGE 

. . 360 
. . 408 



I. 

Isaacs, Henry Perry. 
J. 



312 



Johnson, Alexander 496 

Johnson, Samuel 502 

Johnson, William C 496 



Painter, William C 328 

Parker, HoUon Frontispiece 

Pettyjohn, Jonathan 464 

Picard, lohn 496 

Preston, Piatt A 468 

Preston, Mrs. Piatt A 468 

Preston, William G 468 

Preston, Mrs. William G 468 



K. 



Kershaw, James S. 
Kirkman, William. 



Loney, Samuel K 496 

Lyman, W. D 344 

M. 



Q- 



Quinn, Thomas 



368 



480 
876 



R. 



Reynolds. Rasselas P 416 

Ritz, Philip 4H6 

Rohn, J. 1 476 

Russel, Thomas A 496 



Mix, James D. . 
Mix, Mrs. Annie 



S. 

Seeke, Marshall C 602 

Singleton, John 460 

Smith, J. C 464 

Smith, Samuel J 440 

'i' T 'cX.'5 Stewart, Daniel 3.52 

P" ^ •.^. Swan, lohn M 488 



Manion, John 502 

Masterson, Andrew C 400 

McEvoy, Joseph 472 

McMorris. Lewis 320 

Miller, Joseph L 502 

Miller, .Mrs. lose 



McC. 
N. 



458 
458 



Nelson, Cyrus T., 



480 



Tavlor, John A 476 

Taylor, Mrs. John A 476 



Nelson, Hiram 480 

Norman, Nelson R 492 



W. 



O. 



Osborn, Obadiah. 



Ward, Michael B 336 

Wellman, Alfred C 444 

4.H; Williams, Edward J 488 



BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX. 



A. 



Abbey, HiTiry J 384 

Abboit, John F 473 

Achurmann, Charles 3(i(i 

Aklrich, Milton 490 

Aldrich, Newton 4Sl 

Ash, Samuel A 441 

B. 

Habcock, E. F 382 

Bahcock, Georije \V 2^9 

Bachtoki, Alfred 3(i2 

Bachtokl, John 368 

Baker, Uorsey S 2**8 

Baldwin, J. M 38O 

Barnelt, Carrick H 4*5 

Barnett, George E 308 

Barrett, James S 348 

Bauer, Robert E 482 

Bauineister, Max 34I 

Beard, John A 4fiti 

Becker, Oswald 347 

Becker, I'hilip A 3.J8 

Berney, Ulysses H 4II 

Berrynian, J. E f,OU 

Herrynian, Richard J ,50(1 

Binghani, John E 9!Ki 

; Blaiock, N. G 474 

J Blaiock, Y. C 306 

Blanchard, Mrs. Elizabeth J 399 

Blandford, Henry S 326 

Boj,'le, Richard A 345 

Boston, Alvin 369 

Bourgeois, Eugene 493 

Bowers, C. J ,50o 

Boyer, Eugene H 354 

Boyer, John E 3.^9 

lioyer, John F 29'> 

Bradbury, George W 436 

Bralton, Walter A 4O8 

Brents, Thomas Hurley 3O4 

Brewer, B. F 4O6 

Brewer, John F 374 

Brewer, John W 398 

Brewer, Alerton E 402 

Brown, Alvah 28I 

liruce, James \V 378 

Bryan, M ilton E 403 

Brzezowsky, Frank 342 

Burns, Robert 372 

Buroker, J 4.'-,0 

Buroker, Udliam H 4S7 

Burr, Daniel 30" 

Burrows, Charles E 303 

Bush, John 428 



I'AGK 

C. 

Cain, Oscar 300 

Callahan, William 4,39 

Cameron, Alex 452 

Cameron, John A 305 

Caris, Matthias A 427 

Carnes, William H 442 

Castleman, Nelson 432 

Cation, James 479 

Cauvel. Austin Lynn 435 

Chamberlain, P. B 462 

Chamberlin, George Harris 445 

Clancy, R. G 407 

Clapp, Rufus 411 

Clark, William A 3(Jti 

Cochran, John G 403 

Coffin, IJelos H 338 

Copeland, Thomas 471 

Copeland, Wallace R 4(i(i 

Corkrum, Francis M 421 

Cox, Anderson 509 

Cox, Fred O 3!<2 

Crocker, Benjamin D 341 

Croup, Eli W 444 

Crowe, George R .... 431 

Crowell, Henry A 29S 

Cummings, .Amos 447 

Cummings, Charles F 433 

Cummms, James 3fil 

Cummins, Jesse 3ti3 

Cummins, Woodson 457 

D. 

Dacres, George 452 

Daniels, John H 300 

Dauhon, John W 325 

Davin, Hippolyte 342 

Davis, John A 479 

Davis, Lorenzo A 308 

Debus, Harry 357 

Delany, George 424 

Dement, Frank S 290 

Denney, Nathaniel B 488 

Dewer, James M 477 

Dewitt, "Oliver 4B1 

Dickinson, A. S 422 

Dinges, Solomon 497 

Dooley, lohn 318 

Dorris, Edgar A 403 

Drumheller, Jesse 333 

Dunlap. John K .3j6 

E. 

Edgerley, EIron 412 

Eichler, Charles H •"41! 



I'AGE 

Eldridge, Harlan D 422 

Ellingsworih, William .392 

Ennis, Christopher 303 

Estes, Hugh P 33j 

Evans, Andrew J 349 

Evans, Emmett 493 

Evans, Mark A .507 

Evans, Milton 482 

F. 

Faucette, John 327 

Ferguson, Walter S 443 

Ferrel, Brewster 405 

Ferrel, Joseph W 434 

Ferrel, Seth A 442 

Ferrel, Thomas J 432 

Fix, A. J 4.Mt 

Flohr, Michael 322 

Foster, Frank 332 

Foster, John H 351 

Fuller, John H 413 

G. 

Gaston, John 441 

Genevay, Lucien 292 

Gholson, Charles E 3(57 

Gilkerson, Charles 429 

Gilkerson, Harry 427 

Gilkerson, Thomas 429 

Gillhani, Alonzo 350 

Gilliam, Washmgton Smith 263 

Ginn, Richard 438 

Glasford, Wm 289 

Goodhue, James P 280 

Goodman, William S 349 

Gril'lith, Robert M 428 

Guichard, Ralph E 321 

Guthridge, Benjamin G 334 

II. 

Haggist, Fred 391 

Hall, lay H 314 

Harbert, Joseph W. 448 

Ilardman, -Sol 492 

Harer, John H 371 

Harman, Urias .S 448 

Harmen, Charles T 472 

Harper, Joseph L 3()1 

Hart, Francis G 374 

Hart, Thomas D. S 377 

Hartness, Orlander W 325 

Hastings, Henry W 397 

Hauber, Martin H 3S1 

Havnes, Oscar 3.55 



INDEX. 



Xlll 



PAGE 

Hays, William H 419 

Highlt-y, D. K ;»9 

Hill, J. iM ;^4o 

Hodgis, John H 307 

Hoffmann, John J^CO 

Hood, Charles Edward 508 

Hood, John A SOS 

Hood, John R 408 

Howard, Joshua A ... 49,5 

I. 

Ingalls, Henry 494 

Ingle, Elijah ;-i~6 

Isaacs, Henry Perry 312 

J- 

Jackson, Otis C 386 

Jacobs, Charles A 4.')0 

Jaussaud, Leon F. C 290 

Jennings, Jefferson 335 

Jessup, Theadore H 308 

Johnson Brothers 498 

Johnson, Robert H 383 

Johnson, Samuel 504 

Jones, William R 385 

K. 

Kauffman, John Jacob 316 

Keefe, Uion 317 

Kellough, George E 388 

Kelly, Martin F 507 

Kennedy, Robert 323 

Kershaw, J. Frederick 40-'J 

Kershaw, James S 482 

Kershaw, John H 411 

Kirkman, William 376 

Koger, Marion 409 

Koontz, William A ::i27 

Kralman, William 355 

Kuhl, Henry 433 

Kydd, John 285 

Kyger, Daniel T 294 

L. 

Lafortune, Joseph 449 

LaGrave, Dennis 879 

Lamb, James M 416 

Lamb, John D 47.5 

Lasater, Harry 406 

Lasater, James H 404 

Lee, Henry 495 

Lewis, George F 429 

Linn, Eathan A 437 

Logan Edward 3W8 

Loney, Samuel K 497 

Loundagin, George W 387 

Lovewell, Samuel Harrison 362 

Lowden, Francis M 324 

Lowden, Francis M., Jr 318 

Lowden, Marshall J 318 

Lyman, William D 344 

Lynch, P. M 4«7 

Lynrh, Robert E 418 

Lyons, Thomas 494 

M. 

Mabry, Mrs. Flmeline J 3^9 

Magallon, Adrien 358 



PAGE 

Malloy, William S 486 

Mangan, Edward H 417 

Mangan, Joseph J 415 

Manion, John 503 

Mann, William H 405 

Marcy, Benjamin W 3fi.5 

Martin, Michael 390 

Martin, Patrick 491 

Masterson, Andrew C. 400 

Mathew, William L 432 

Maxson, Samuel R 485 

McAuliff, James 315 

McCann, Edwin W 424 

McCool, Robert 414 

McCoy, John D 395 

McCoy, Joseph H 401 

McDonald, John B 425 

McDonnell, Edward 363 

McEvoy, Joseph 472 

McGhee, John VV., Jr 29ii 

Mclnroe, Charles 483 

McKinney, Thompson M 370 

McKinney, William 393 

McKinney, William E., Jr 390 

McLean, Clark N '.^99 

McMorris, Lewis 3'20 

Meiners, Martin 42li 

Michel, Justus 399 

Middleton, George H 449 

Miller, Joseph L .502 

Mills, Edward D 396 

Mix, Mrs. Annie McC 458 

Molkin-, Iwa S 373 

Moore, Miles C 282 

Moore, Thomas 345 

Morrow, 1. H 420 

Morse, Franklin -B 339 

M urphy, Horace J 364 

N. 

Nelson, Cyrus T 480 

Nelson, Hiram 481 

Nicholas, Amander M 451 

Noble, William A 395 

Norman, Nelson R 493 



O. 



O'Donnell. William 284 

Offner, Winfield S 311 

Osborn, Obadiah 4.56 

Osborn, Robert H 394 

Owens, S. A .391 



P. 



Painter, William C 328 

Parker, Hollon 273 

Peck, F.beneezer M 387 

Perkins, Perry C 379 

Perry, Alfred F 423 

Peterson, William 3.50 

Pettyjohn, Jonathan 4(54 

Phillips, Charles W 465 

Picard, John 499 

Preston. Charles B 375 

Preston, Dale 485 

Preston. Piatt A 470 

Preston, William G 468 



PAGE 

Q. 

yuinn, Thomas 368 

R. 

Reborn, John 413 

Reid, Albert E 439 

Reser, John L 4()3 

Reser, William P 457 

Reynolds, Allen H 307 

Reynolds, Almos H 310 

Reynolds, Rasselas P 416 

Roedel, Charles Ottmar 302 

Rohn, J. Fred 451 

Rohn, J. J 477 

Richardson, Charles B 454 

Riflle, ElihuG 3.54 

Ritz, Philip 496 

Rudd, Irby H 389 

Rulaford, George A 380 

Kussel, Thomas A 499 

Russell, Chai les 293 

Russell, E. Shepard 3.50 

Russell, Patrick 484 

Russell, Walter E 412 

S. 

Sanderson, Henry 285 

Scholl, Louis 319 

Schumacher, Carl 317 

Seeke, Marshall C 503 

Sell, Nicholas 419 

Seitz, John P 4.54 

Selland, Severt O 487 

Sharpstein, Benjamin L 364 

Shaw, Ellsworth E 314 

Shaw, Le F. A 301 

Shelton, William M 44f) 

Simpson, Francis I 410 

Singleton, John 460 

.Smails, George 311 

Smith, Ezekiel 343 

Smith, John C 464 

Smith, Samuel J 440 

Smith, William S 333 

Smith, Winfield D 359 

Stetson, Clinton 393 

Stewart, Charles B 286 

Stewart, Daniel . . 352 

Stewart, Meredith E 331 

Storey, John C 420 

Strah 1 , John U 402 

Strahm, Peter 394 

.straight, Zebulon K 326 

Stringer, Robert J 322 

Struthers, Williaiii A 397 

Sturgis, William P 484 

Swaim, Moses 430 

Swan, John M 489 

Sweeney, Samuel B 414 

Sweetser, Charles T 445 

Swezea, Thomas J 501 

r. 

Tash, Andrew J 426 

Taylor, Charles M 371 

Taylor, John A 476 

Taylor, Thomas 306 

Thompson, James B 509 



XIV 



INDEX. 



PAGE 

Thompson, Robert 463 

Townsend, William C 347 

Truax, Henry C 343 

Tyson, Charles A 446 

V. 
\'illa, Frank 417 

W. 
Walker, Robert F 392 



Wa 



PAGE 

lace, Herbert F 348 



Ward, Michael B 336 

Weaver. Jacob F 3f<5 

Wellman, Alfred C 444 



PAGE 

Wilson, Valentme 369 

Wiseman, Jonathan T 409 

Wiseman, William N 407 

Woods, Joel 396 



Wheeler, Kmerson L 373 

Whitehouse, George W 295 

Whitman, E. B 287 

Whitman, E.S 287 

Whitman, Stephen G , 291 

Wickersham, James 365 

Wickersham, John 440 

Willi, Philip A 383 

Williams, Edsvard J 488 Young, Samuel P 'MO 



Yeend, James A 491 

Yeend, William 486 

Yenney, L O 501 

Yennev, Philip 506 

Yenney, W. H 495 



HISTORY (IF W4LLA WALLA COOITY. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The opening of a new century is a fitting 
time to cast a backward glance in our local 
history, reconstruct to the eye of the present 
the interesting and heroic events of the past, 
and by comparison between past and present 
forecast something of the future. 

Old Oregon Territory, of which this coun- 
ty and this state were once parts, with its isola- 
tion, its pathos, its hospitality, has passed away. 
It had a strange history. It was the ignis 
fatiiiis of successive generations of explorers, 
luring them on with that indescribal)le fascina- 
tion which seems always to have drawn men 
tc the ever-receding circle of the "Westmost 
West," and yet for years and years veiling 
itself in the mists of uncertainty and misap- 
prehension. 

We do not usually realize how soon after 
the time of Columbus there began to be at- 
tempts to reach the western ocean and to solve 
the nn'stery of the various passages, north- 
west, southwest, and west, which were sup- 
posed to lead through the Americas to Asia. 
The old navigators had little conception of the 
breadth of this continent. They thought it 
to lie but a few leagues across, and took for 
granted that some of the many arms of the 



sea would lead them through to another ocean 
that would wash tlie Asiatic shores. 

In 1500, only eight years after Columbus, 
Gasper Cortereal, the Portuguese, conceived 
the idea of entering what afterwards became 
known as Hudson's Bay and proceeding 
thence westward through what he called the 
Strait of Anian. That mythical Strait of 
Anian seems to have had a strange charm for 
the old navigators. One of them, Maldonado, 
a good many years later, gave a very con- 
nected and apparently veracious account of his 
journey through that strait, averring that 
through it he reached another ocean in lati- 
tude 75. But by means of Magellan's Straits 
and the douljling of stormy Cape Horn, a 
connection between the two oceans was actu- 
ally discovered in 15 19. 

In 1543 Ferrelo, a Spaniard, coasted along 
the shores of California, and was doubtless 
the first white man to gaze on the coast of 
Oregon, probably somewhere in the \icinity 
of the mouth of the Umpqua river. 

In 1577 that boldest and most picturesque 
of all English sailors and freebooters, Francis 
Drake, started on the marvellous voyage l:)y 
which he ])lundered the treasures of the Span- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



3sh Main, cut the golden girdle of Manila, 
•queen of the treasuries of the Spanish orient, 
skirted the coast of California, Oregon and 
Washington, and at last circumnavigated the 
^lobe. 

But in 1592, just one hundred years after 
Columbus, comes the most picturesque of all 
those misty stories which enwrap the early 
history of Oregon. This is the story of Juan 
de Fuca, whose name is now preserved in our 
northwest boundary strait. According to this 
romantic tale of the seas. Juan de Fuca was 
a Greek of Cephalonia, whose real name was 
Apostolos Valerianos, and under commission 
of the king of Spain, he sailed to find that 
Strait of Anian, whose entrance the Spaniards 
wanted to fortify and guard so as to prevent 
ingress or egress by the English freebooters 
Avho were preying on their commerce. Ac- 
cording to the account given by Michael Lock, 
"he followed his course in that voyage, west 
.and northwest in the South Sea, all along the 
•coast of Nova Spania, and California and the 
Indies, now called North America (all which 
voyage he signified to me in a great map, and 
a sea-card of my own, which I laid before 
him), until he came to the latitude of 47 de- 
grees; and that, there finding that the land 
trended north and northwest, with a broad 
inlet of sea, between 47 and 48 degrees of 
latitude, he entered thereinto, sailing more than 
twenty days, and found that land still trending 
northwest, and northeast, and north, and also 
east and southeastward, and \ery much 
broader sea than was at the saitl entrance, and 
that he passed by divers ishuuls in that sailing: 
and that, at the entrance of the said strait, 
there is, on the northwest coast thereof, a great 
headland or island, with an exceedingly high 
pinnacle or spired mck. like a ])illar, thereupon. 
Also he said that he went on land in divers 



places, and that he saw some people on the 
land clad in beasts' skins : and that the land 
was very fruitful and rich of gold, silver and 
pearls, and other things, like Nova Spania. 
Also he said that he being entered thus far 
into the said strait, and being come into the 
North Sea already, and finding the sea wide 
enough e\-erywhere, and to be about thirty or 
forty leagues witle in the mouth of the straits 
where he enteretl, he thought he had now well 
discharged his office ; and that, not being armed 
to resist the force of savage people that might 
happen, he therefore set sail and turned home- 
ward again toward Nova Spania, where he ar- 
rived at Acapulco, Anno 1593, hoping to be re- 
warded by the Viceroy for this service done 
in the said voyage." 

This curious bit of past record has been 
interpreted bv some as pure m_\'th, and by 
others as \-eritable history. It is at any rate 
a generally accurate outline description of the 
Straits of Fuca, the Gulf of Georgia and the 
shores of \'ancouver Island and the mainland 
adjoining. And whether or not the old Greek 
pilot did actually exist and first look on our 
"Mediterranean of the Pacific," it is pleasant 
ti) imagine that he did, and that his name 
fittingly preserves the memory of the grand 
old myth of Anian and the northwest passage. 

There is one other more obviously myth- 
ical tale concerning our northwest coast. It 
is said that in the year 1640 Admiral Pedro 
de Fonte, of the Spanish marine, made the 
jciurne_\- from the .\tlantic to the Pacific and 
return, through a system of rivers and straits, 
entering the coast at ab. ut latitude 53. 
Coming from Callao in April, 1640. and after 
having sailed for a long distance through an 
archipelago, he entered the mouth of a vast 
river, which he named Rio de Los Reyes. 
Ascendino- this for a long distance northeast- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



•erly, he reached an immense lake, on whose 
-shores he found a weaUhy and civiHzed nation, 
wiio had a capital city of great splendor called 
Conasset. and who welcomed the strangers 
with lavish hospitality. From this lake flowed 
another river easterly, and down this Fonte 
descended until he reached another great lake, 
from which a narrow strait led into the At- 
lantic ocean. 

There is one curious thing about these leg- 
endary voyages, and that is the general accu- 
racy of their descriptions of the coast. Al- 
though these accounts are unquestionably 
mythical, it is not impossible that their authors 
had actually visited the coast or had seen those 
who had, and thus gathered the material from 
which they fabricated, with such an appear- 
ance of plausibility, their Munchausen tales. 

We are briefly referring to these fascinat- 
ing old legends, not for the purpose of discuss- 
ir.g them here at any length, but rather to re- 
mind the reader of the long period of romance 
and myth which enveloped the early history of 
our state. J^Iany years passed after the age 
of myth before there were authentic \-oyages. 
During the seventeenth century practically 
nothing was done in the way of Pacific coast 
exploration. But in the eighteenth, as by 
common consent, all the nations of Europe 
became suddenly infatuated again with the 
thought that on the western shores of Amer- 
ica might be found the gold and silver and 
gems and furs and jjrecimis woods, f(jr which 
they had been striving so desperately upnn the 
eastern coast. English, French. Spanish, 
I\)rtuguese, Dutch. Russian and .\merican. 
ei'.tered their bold and hardy sailors into the 
race for the possession of the l.'uid of the Oc- 
cident. The Russians were the first in the 
field. That gigantic power, which the genius 
of Peter the Great had suddenly transformed. 



like one of the fabled genii, from the propor- 
tions of a grain of sand to a figure overtop- 
ping the whole earth, had stretched its arms 
from the Baltic to the Aleutian Archipelago, 
and had looked southward across the frozen 
seas of Siberia to the open Pacific as offering 
them another opportunity of expansion. Many 
years passed, however, before Peter's designs 
could Jje e-xecuted. It was 1728 when Vitus 
Behring entered upon his marvellous life of 
exploration. Not until 1741, however, did he 
thread the thousand islands of Alaska and 
gaze upon the glaciated summit of Mt. St. 
Elias. And it was not until thirty years later 
that it was known that the Bay of Avatscha, 
in Siberia, was connected by open sea with 
China. In 1771 the first cargo of furs was 
taken directly from Avatscha, the chief port 
of eastern Siberia, to Canton. Then first 
Europe realized the vastness of the Pacific 
ocean. Then it understood that the same 
waters which frowned against the frozen bul- 
warks of Kamtchatka washed the tropic isl- 
ands of the South Seas and foamed against 
the storm-swept rocks of Cape Horn. Mean- 
time, while Russia was thus becoming estab- 
lished upon the shores of Alaska, Spain was 
getting entire possession of California. These 
two great nations began to overlap each other. 
Russians became established near San Fran- 
cisco. To oft'set this movement of Russia, a 
group of Spanish explorers, Perez, Martinez, 
Heceta, Bodega, and Maurelle, swarmed up the 
coast beyond the present site of Sitka. 

England, in alarm at tlie progress made by 
.Spain and Russia, sent out the Columbus 
of the eighteenth century, in the person of 
Captain James Cook, and he .^ailed up and 
down the coast of Alaska and of Washington, 
but failed to discover either the Columlna river 
or the Straits of Fuca. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY, 



Xevertheless liis labors did more to estab- 
lish true geographical notions than had the 
combined efforts of all the Spanish navigators 
who had preceded him. His voyages mate- 
rially strengthened England's claim to Oregon, 
and added greatly to the Inster of her name. 
The great captain, while temporarily on shore, 
was killed by Indians in 1778. and the com- 
mand devoh-ed ujion Captain Clerkg. who 
sailed northward, passing through Behring 
Strait to the Arctic ocean. The new com- 
mander died before the expeditii)n hail pro- 
ceeded far on its return journey. Lieutenant 
Gore, a Virginian, assumed control and sailed 
to Canton. China. arri\-ing late in the year. 

The main purpose of this expedition had 
been the discovery of a northern waterway be- 
tween the two oceans and the extending of 
Briti.-h territory, hut, as is so often the case in 
human affairs, one of the most important re- 
sults of the voyage was entirely unsuspected by 
the navigators and practically the i)utcome of 
an accident. It so happened that the two vessels 
of the expedition, the Resolution an<l the Dis- 
covery, toiik witli them to China a small col- 
lection of furs from the northwest coast of 
America. These were purchased by the Chin- 
ese with great avidity, the people exhibiting a 
willingness to barter commodities of much 
value for them and endeavoring to secure them 
at almost any sacrifice. The sailors were not 
backward in communicating their discovery of 
a new and promising market for peltries, and 
the impetus imparted to the fur trade was al- 
most immeasurable in its ultimate effects. An 
entirely new regime was inau.gurated in Chi- 
nese and East India commerce. The north- 
W'Cst coast of America assumed a new import- 
ance in the eyes of Europeans and especially 
of the British. The "struggle for possession" 
soon began to be foreshadowed. 



One of the principal harbors resorted to 
by fur-trading vessels was Xootka, used as a 
rendezvous and principal port of departure. 
This port became the scene of a clash between 
Spanish authorities and certain British vessels 
which greatly strained the frienilly relations 
existing between the two governments repre- 
sented. In 1779. the viceroy of Mexico sent 
two ships, the Princesa and San Carlos, to 
convey Martinez and De Haro to the vicinity 
for the purpose of anticipating and pre\-enting 
the occupancy of Xootka sound by fur-traders 
of other nations and that the Spanish title to 
the territory might be maintained and con- 
firmed. ?klartinez was to base his claim upon 
the discovery by Perez in 1774. Courtesy 
was to be extendeil to foreign vessels, but the 
establishment of any claim prejudicial to the 
rights of the Spanish crown was to be vigor- 
iiusly resisted. 

L'lii.m the arrival of Martinez in the harbor, 
it was discovered that the American vessel 
Columbia, and the Iphigenia. a British ship, 
under a Portuguese flag, were lying in the har- 
bor. Martinez at once demandetl the i)apers 
of b<ith vessels and an explanation of their 
presence, vigorously asserting the claim of 
Spain that the port and contiguous territory 
were h.ers. Tlie captain of the Iphigenia 
pleailed stress of weather. On finding that the 
vessel's papers c unmanded the capture, under 
certain conditions, of Russian, Spanish or 
English vessels. Martinez seized the ship, but 
on being advised that the orders relating to 
captures were intended only to ap])ly to the 
defense of the vessel, the Spaniard released the 
Iphigenia and her cargo. The Xorthwest 
America, another vessel of the same expedition. 
was. however, seized by Martinez a little later. 

It should be remembered that these British 
vessels had in the inception of the enteriirise 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



5 



divested themselves of their true natiimal char- 
acter and donned the insignia of Portugal, 
their reasons being: first, to defraud the Chi- 
nese government, which made special harbor 
rates to the Portuguese, and second, to defraud 
the East India Company, to whom had l^een 
granted the right of trading in furs in north- 
west America to the exclusion of all other 
British subjects, except such as should obtain 
the permission of the company. To maintain 
tlieir Portuguese nationality, they had placed 
the expedition nominall}- under the control of 
Juan Cavalho, a Portuguese trader. Prior to 
the time of the trouble in Nootka, however, 
Cavalho had become a bankrupt and new ar- 
rangements had become necessary. The Eng- 
lish traders were compelled to unite their in- 
terests with those of King George's Sound 
Company, a mercantile association operating 
under license from the South Sea and East 
India Companies, the Portuguese colors had 
been laid aside and the true national character 
of the expedition assumed. Captain Colnutt 
was placed in command of the enterprise as 
constituted under the new regime with instruc- 
tions among other things "to establish a fac- 
tory to be called Fort Pitt, for the purpose of 
permanent settlement, and as a center of trade 
around which other stations may be estab- 
lished." 

One vessel of the expedition, the Princess 
Royal, entered Nootka harbor without mo- 
lestation, but when the Argonaut, under com- 
mand of Captain Colnutt, arrived, it was 
thought best l)y the master not to attempt an 
entrance to the bay lest his vessel should meet 
the same fate which had befallen the Iphige- 
nia and the Northwest America. Later, Col- 
nutt called on Martinez and informed the Span- 
isli governor of his intention to take pos- 
session of the countrv in the name of Great 



Britain and to erect a fort. The governor re- 
plied that possession had already been taken 
in the name of his Catholic majesty and that 
such acts as he (Colnutt) contemplated could 
not be allowed. An altercation followed and 
the next day the Argonaut was seized and her 
captain and crew placed under arrest. The 
Princess Royal was also seized, though the 
American vessels in the harbor were in no way 
molested. 

After an extended and at times heated con- 
troversy between Spain and Great Britain 
touching these seizures, the former govern- 
ment consented to make reparation and offered 
a suitable apology for the indignity to the 
honor of the tlag. The feature of this corre- 
spondence of greatest import in the future his- 
tory of the territory affected is that through-* 
out the entire controversy and in all the royal 
messages and the debates of parliament, no 
word was spoken asserting a claim of Great 
Britain to any territorial rights or denying the 
claim of sovereignty so positively and persist- 
ently avowed by Spain, neither was Spanish 
sovereignty denied or in anv way alienated by 
the treaty which followed. Certain real prop- 
erty was restored to British subjects, but a 
transfer of realty is not a transfer of sover- 
eignty. 

We pass over the voyage of the illustrious 
French navigator, La Perouse, as of more im- 
portance from a scientific than from a political 
standpoint, neither can we dwell upon the ex- 
plorations of Captain Berkley, to whom be- 
longs the honor of having ascertained the ex- 
istence of the strait afterward denominated 
Juan de Fuca. Of somewhat greater moment 
in the later history of the northwest are the 
\(jyages of Meares, who entered and described 
th.e al)o\-e mentioned strait, and who, in 1788, 
explored the coast at the \Knnt where the great 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COL'XTY. 



Columbia mingles its crystal current with the 
waters of the sea. In the diplomatic battle 
of later days, it was even claimed by some 
that he was the discoverer of that great "River 
of the West." Howbeit, nothing can be surer 
than that the existence of such a river was ut- 
terly unkniiwn t<i him at the time. Indeed his 
conviction <>{ its non-existence was thus started 
in his own account of the voyage : "W^e can 
now with safety assert that there is no such 
river as St. Roc (of the Spaniard, Heceta) 
exists, as laid dnwn in the Spanish charts," 
and he gave a further une(|uivocal expression 
of his opinion by naming the bay in that 
vicinity Deception Bay and the promontory 
north cif it Ca])e Disapjiointment. "Disap- 
pointed and deceived," remarks Evans face- 
tiously, "he continued his cruise SdUthward to 
latitude forty-five degrees north." 

It is not without sentiments of patriotic 
pride, that we now turn our attention to a 
period of discovery in which the vessels of our 
own nation plaxed a prominent ]iart. The 
northern mystery, which had been partially 
resolved by the Spanish, English, French and 
Portuguese explorations, was now to be com- 
pletely robbed of its mystic charm, s]:)eculation 
and myth nuist now give place to exact knowl- 
edge, the game of discovery must hereafter be 
played principally between the two Ijranches 
of the .\nglo-Saxon race, and Anglo-Saxon 
energy, thoroughness and zeal are henceforth 
to characterize operations on thi shores of 
the Pacific northwest. The L'nited States had 
but recently won their independence from the 
British Crown and their energies were find- 
ing a fit field of activity in the titanic task of 
national organization. Before the constitu- 
tion had become the supreme law- of the land, 
however, the alert mind of the American had 
begun projecting voyages of discovery and 



trade to the northwest, and in September, 1788^ 
two vessels with the stars and stripes at their 
mastheads arrived at Nootka sound. Their 
presence in the harbor while the events culmi- 
nating in the Nootka treaty were transpiring 
has already been alluded to. The vessels 
were the ship Columbia, Captain John Ken- 
drick, and the sloop Washington, Captain 
Robert Gray, and the honor of having sent 
them to our shores belongs to one Joseph Bar- 
rel, a prominent merchant of Boston, and a 
man of high social standing and great influ- 
ence. While one of the impelling motives of 
this enterprise had been the desire of commer- 
cial profit, the element of patriotism was not 
wholly lacking, and the \-essels were instructed 
to make what explorations and disco\-eries 
they might. 

After remaining a time on the coast. Cap-- 
tain Kendrick transferred bis shiji's proi:)erty to 
the Washington, with the intention of taking 
a cruise in that vessel. Pie jilaced Ca]itain Gray 
in command of the Columbia, with instruc- 
tions to return to Boston by way of the Sand- 
wich Islands and China. This commission 
was successfully carrie<l out. Tlie vessel ar- 
rived in Boston in September, 1790, was re- 
ceived with great eclat, refitted by licr owners 
and again dispatched to the shores of the 
Pacific, with Captain Gray in command. In 
July, 1 79 1, tlie Columbia from Boston and the 
Washington from China met not far from the 
spot where they had separated nearly two years 
before. They were not to remain long in 
company, however, for Captain Gray soon 
started on a cruise southward. On April 29, 
179J, Gray met \'ancou\er just below Cape 
Flattery and an interesting collof|u\' took place. 
\"ancouver communicatee! to the .\merican 
skipper the fact that he had not yet made any 
important discoveries, and Gray, with equal 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 7 

frankness, gave the eminent Britisli explorer sel's prow plowed the waters of that famous 

an accoiuit of his past discoveries, "including," "River of the West," whose existence had been 

says Bancroft, "the fact that he had not sailed so long susi)ected. The storied "Oregon" for 

through Fuca Strait in the Lady Washington, the first time heard other sound than "its own 

as had been supposed fr(jm Meares' narrative dashing." 

an<l map." He also informed Captain Van- Shortly afterward Vancouver came to 
couver that he had been "off the mouth of ai Cape Disappointment to explore the Colum- 
river in latitude forty-six degrees, ten minutes, bia, of which he had heard indirectly from 
where the outset, or reflux, was so strong as Captain Gray. Lieutenant Broughton of Van- 
to prevent his entering for nine days." couver's expedition sailed over the bar, as- 

The important information conveyed by cended the river a distance of more than one 
Gray seems to have greatly disturbed the e(|ui- hundred miles to the site of the present Van- 
poise of Vancouver's mind. The entries in couver, and with a modesty truly remarkable, 
his log shfjw that he did not entirely credit "takes possession of the river and the country 
the statement of the .American, but that he in its vicinity in bis llritannic Majesty's name, 
was considerably perturbed is evidenced by having every reason to believe that the sub- 
the fact that he tried to convince himself by jects of no other civilized nation or state had 
argument that Gray's statement could not have e\'er entered it before." This, too, though be 
been correct. The latitude assigned by the bad received a salute of one gun from an 
American was that of Cape Disappointment, .American vessel, the Jennie, on his entrance to 
and the existence of a river nKJUtli there, the bay. The lieutenant's claim was not to 
though affirmed by Heceta, had been deniecj remain forever unchallenged, as will appear 
by Meares ; Captain Cook also had failed to presently. 

find it, besides had he not himself passed that With the exijloration of I'uget sound and 

point two days before and had he not observed the discovery of the Columbia, history-making 

that "if any inlet or river should be found it maritime adventure practically ceased. But as 

must be a very intricate one, and inaccessible the fabled Strait of Anian had drawn explorers 

to vessels of our burden, owing to the reefs to the Pacific shores in quest of the mythical 

and broken water which then apjjcared in its passage to the trea.sures of the Tnd, so likewise 

neighborhood." With such reasoning, he dis- did the fairy tales of La Hontan and others 

missed the matter from his mind for the time stimulate inland exploration. Furthermore the 

being. He continued his journey northward, mystic charm always possessed by a terra in- 

pas.sed through the strait of Fuca, and engaged cognita was Ijecoming irresistible to adventur- 

in a thorough and minute exploration of that ous spirits, and the possibilities of discovering 

mighty inland sea, to a portion of which he untold wealth in the \-aults of its "Shining 

gave the name of Puget Sound. mountains" and in the sands of its crystal rivers 

Meanwhile Gray was proceeding south- were exceedingly fascinating to the lover of 

ward "in the track of destiny and glory." On gain. 

May 7th he entered the harbor which now The honor of pioneership in overland ex- 
bears his name and four days later he passed ploration belongs to Verendrye, wh j under 
through the breakers over the bar, and bis ves- authority of the governor-general of Xew 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



France, in 1773, set out on an expedition to the 
Rocky mountains from Canada. This explorer 
and his brother and sons maile many important 
explorations, but as they failed to find a pass 
th.rough the RocW mountains by which they 
could come to the Pacific side, their ad\-entures 
do not fall within the purview of our volume. 
They are said to ha\-e reached the present \icin- 
ity of Helena. 

If. as seems highly probable, the events 
chronicled by La Page in his charming "His- 
toire de la Louisiane." published in 1758, 
should be taken as authentic, the first man to 
scale the Rocky mountains from the east and to 
make his way overland to the shores of the 
Pacific was a Yazoo Indian, Moncacht-ape or 
IMontcachabe by name. But "the first traveler 
to lead a party of civilized men through the 
territory of the Stony mountains to the South 
Sea" was Alexander Mackenzie, who, in 1793, 
reached the coast at fifty-two degrees, twenty- 
four minutes, forty-eight seconds north, leav- 
ing as a memorial of his visit, inscribed on a 
rock with vermilion and grease the words. 
"Alexander Mackenzie, from Canada by land. 
July 22, 1793-'" His field of discovery was 
also without the scope of our purpose, being 
too far north to figure prominently in the in- 
ternational complications of later years. 

Western exploration by land, had, how- 
ever, elicited the interest of one whose energy 
and force were sufficient to bring to a success- 
ful issue almost any undertaking worth the 
effort. While the other statesmen and legis- 
lators of his time were fully engaged with the 
problems of the moment, the great mind of 
Thomas Jefferson, endowed as it was with a 
■wider range of vision and more comprehensive 
grasp of the true situation, was projecting ex- 
ploring expeditions into the northwest. In 
1786. while serving as minister to Paris, he 



had fallen in with the ardent Ledyard, who 
was on fire with the idea of opening a large 
and profitable fur-trade in the north Pacific 
region. To this young man, he had suggested 
the idea of journeying to Kamchatka, then in 
a Russian \-essel to Nootka sound, from which, 
as a starting point, he should make an explor- 
ing expedition easterly to the United States. 
Ledyard acted on the suggestion, but was ar- 
rested as a spy in the spring of 1787, by Rus- 
sian officials, and so severely treated as to cause 
a failure of his health, and a consecjuent fail- 
ure of his enterprise. 

The next effort of Jeft'erson was made in 
1792. when he proposed to the American Phil- 
osophical Society that it should engage a com- 
petent scientist "to explore northwest America 
from the eastward by ascending the Missouri, 
crossing the Rocky mountains, and descending 
the nearest river to the Pacific ocean." The 
idea was favoralily received. Captain Meri- 
wether Lewis, who afterwards distinguished 
himself as one of the leaders of the Lewis 
and Clark expedition, offered his services, 
but for some reason Andre Michaux, a French 
botanist, was gi\-en the preference. IMichaux 
proceeded as far as Kentucky, but there re- 
ceived an order from the French minister, to 
whom, it seems, he also owed otedience, that 
he should relincjuish his appointment and en- 
gage upon the duties of another commission. 

It was not until after the opening of the 
new century that another opportunity for fur- 
thering his favorite project presented itself. 
.An act of congress, under which trading- 
houses had been established for facilitating 
commerce with the Indians, was about to ex- 
pire by limitation, and President Jefferson, in 
recommending its continuance, seized the op- 
portunity, to urge upon congress the adx'isabil- 
ity of fitting out an expedition the object of 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



which should be ''to explore the Missouri river 
and sucli principal streams of it as, by its course 
of communication with the waters of the Pacific 
ocean, whether the Columbia. Oregon, Colo- 
rado, or any other ri\-er. may offer the most 
direct and practical water communication 
across the continent, for the purposes of com- 
merce." 

Congress voted an appropriation for the 
purpose, and the expedition was placed in 
ch.arge of Captains Meriwether Lewis and 
William Clark (or Clarke). President Jeffer- 
son gave the explorers minute and particular 
instructions as to investigations to be made by 
them. They were to inform themselves should 
they reach the Pacific ocean, "of the circum- 
siances which may decide whether the furs of 
those parts may be collected as advantage- 
ously at the head of the Missouri (convenient 
as is supposed to the Colorado and Oregon or 
Columbia) as at Nootka sound or any other 
part of that coast; and the trade be constantly 
conducted through the ]\Iissouri and United 
States more beneficially than liy the circum- 
navigation now practiced." Li addition to the 
instructions already quoted, these explorers 
were directed to ascertain if possible on arriv- 
ing at the seaboard if there were any ports 
within their reach fre(|uented by the sea-vessels 
of any nation and to send, if practicable, two 
of their most trusted people back by sea with 
copies of their notes. They were also, if they 
<leemed a return Iw the way they had come 
imminently hazardous, to ship the entire party 
and return via Good Hope or Cape Horn as 
they might be able. 

A few days before the initial steps were 
taken in discharge of the instructions of Presi- 
dent Jefferson, news reached the seat of gov- 
ernment of a transaction which added materi- 
ally to the significance of the enterprise. Nego- 



tiations had been successfully consummated for 
the purchase of Louisiana on April 30, 1803, 
but the authorities at Washington did not hear 
of the important transfer until the ist of JuI3^ 
Of such transcendent import to the future of 
our country was this transaction and of such 
vital moment to the section with which our 
volume is primarily concerned, that we must 
here interrupt the trend of our narrative to 
give the reader an idea of the extent of terri- 
tory involved and if possible, to enable him to 
appreciate the influence of the purchase. 
France, by her land explorations and the estab- 
lishment of trading posts and forts, first ac- 
cptired title to the territory west of the Miss- 
issippi and east of the Rocky mountains, though 
Great Britain claimed the territory in accord- 
ance with her doctrine of continuity and con- 
tiguity, most of her colonial grants extending 
i!i express terms to the Pacific ocean. Spain 
also claimed the country by grant of Pope 
Alexander VL A constant warfare had been 
waged between France and Great Britain for 
supremacy in America. Th.e latter was the 
winner in the contest, and, in 1762, France, 
apparently discouraged, ceded to Spain the 
province of Louisiana. By the treaty of Feb- 
ruary 10, 1763, which gave Great Britain the 
Canadas, it was agreed that the western boun- 
dary between English and Spanish possessions 
in America should be the Mississippi river. 
Great Britain renouncing all claim to the terri- 
tory west of that Ixuuidru-y. In 1800, Spain 
retroceded Louisiana to France "with the same 
extent it has now in the hands of Spain, and 
which it had when France possessed it, and 
such as it should be according to the treaties 
subsequenlK- made between Spain and other 
states." 

The order for the formal delivery of the 
province to France was issued by the Spanish 



lO 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



had not been establislied at tliat time, but some 
king on October 15, 1802. and, as alx>ve stated, 
the United States succeeded to the title by 
treaty of April 30, 1803. Exact boundaries 
idea of tlie extent of tliis purcliase may be had 
when we remember that it extended from the 
present Britisli line to the Gulf of Mexico and 
included what arc new the states of Minnesota, 
North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, 
Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana, the 
territory of Oklahoma, Indian Territory, more 
than three-fourths of Montana and Wyoming, 
also parts of Colorado and New Mexico. 

Thus an enterprise which had its inception 
for its chief object to advance the commerical 
interests of the L'^nited States acquired a new 
puqxjse, namely, the extending of the geo- 
graphical and scientific knowledge concerning 
our ozvit domain. L'pon Lewis and Clark a 
further duty devolved, that of informing the 
natives that ol^edience Was now due to a new 
great father. 

The world-old wizard of "Out West" 
stretched his wand over them, and under its 
magic sway they began, by mountain trail and 
river and open highway of the prairie, to follow 
i*: into the wilderness. That same impulse led 
them which drew the camel-dri\-ers of Syria to 
the shores of the Mediterranean, which filled 
the sails of Roman galleys, which beckoned the 
Norse Viking to the desolate grandeur of 
Greenland, and which lit a signal tire in the 
tropic verdure of the Bahamas for the far- 
reaching vision of Columbus. So our great- 
grandfathers were chasing toward the sunset 
the shadow of their own coming greatness, a 
shadow gigantic but always growing, crossing 
the great plains with seven-league boots and 
stepping across the ridge-pole of the continent 
like a Colossus. 

It is not surprising that to minds just ad- 



mitted to this atmosphere of boundless expecta- 
tion, even this plain and common-place narra- 
tive of Lewis and Clark shouKI have had the 
fascination of a novel. 

This historic ex])edition had been pro- 
jected and even partially fitted out by Jefferson 
before the purchase of Louisiana. But imme- 
diately upon the completion of that most saga- 
cious investment, the lingering preparations 
were hastened, and on the 14th of May, 1804, 
the party left St. Louis by boat, upon the muddy 
current of the Missouri, to search for the un- 
known mountains and ri\ers between there and 
the Pacific. Their plan was to ascend the Mis- 
souri to its source, cross tlie divide, strike the 
headwaters of the Columbia, and, descending 
it, reach the sea. 

And what manner of men were undertak- 
ing this voyage, fraught with both interest and 
peril ? Meriwether Lewis, the leader of the 
party, was a captain in the United States army, 
and in Jefiferson's judgment was, by reason of 
endurance, boldness, and energy, the fittest man 
within his knowledge for the responsible duties 
of commander. His whole life had been one 
of reckless adventure. 

It appears that at the tender age of eight 
he was already illustrious for successful mid- 
night forays upon the festive coon an 1 the 
meditative possum. He was lacking in scienti- 
fic knowledge, but. when appointed captain of 
the expedition, had. with characteristic pluck, 
spent a few spare weeks in study of some of the 
branches most essential to his new work. Will- 
iam Clark, second in command, was also a 
United States ofificer. and seems to have been 
ecjually fitted with Lewis for his work. The 
party consisted of fourteen United States regu- 
lars, nine Kentucky volunteers, two French 
voyageurs, a hunter, an interpreter, and a ne- 
gn.!. To each of the common soldiers the gov- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



I r 



ernment offered the munificent reward of retire- 
ment upon full pay with a recommenflation for 
a soldier's grant of land. Special pains were 
taken to encourage the party to keep complete 
records of all they saw and heard and did. 
This was done with a vengeance, insomuch that 
seven journals besides those of the leaders were 
carefully kept, and in them was recorded nearly 
every event from the most important discov- 
eries down to the ingredients of their meals 
and doses of medicine. They were abundantly 
provided with beads, mirrors, knives, etc., etc., 
wherewith to woo the savage hearts of the 
natives. 

.\fter an interesting and easy journey of 
five months they reached the country of the 
A'andans, and here they determined to winter. 
The winter having been profitably spent in 
making the acquaintance of the Indians and in 
collecting specimens of the natural history of 
the plains — which they now sent back to the 
president with great care — they again embarked 
in a squadron of si.x canoes and two pirogues. 
On June 13th they reached the great falls of the 
Missouri. 

A month was spent within sound of the 
thunder and in sight of the perpetual mist- 
cloud rising from the abyss, before they could 
accomplish the difficult portage of eighteen 
miles, make new canoes, mend their clothes, and 
lay in a new stock of provisions. Of material 
for this last there was no end. The air was 
filled with migratory birds, and the ])arty was 
almost in danger of being overrun by the enor- 
mous herds of buffalo. 

The long, bright days, the tingling air of 
tlie mountains, the pleasant swish of the water 
as their cano-s breasted the swift current — the 
vast camp fires and the nightly buffalo roasts — 
all these must have made this the pleasantest 
section of their long journey. 



The party seems to have pretty nearly ex- 
hausted its supply of names, and after having- 
made heavy draughts ( n their own with various 
ptrmutatory combinations, they were reduced 
to the extremity of loading innocent creeks with 
the ponderous names of Wisdom, Philosophy, 
and Philanthropy. Succeeding generations- 
have relieved the unjust pressure in two of 
th.ese cases with the sounding appellations of 
Big Hole and Stinking Water. 

On the 1 2th of August the explorers crossed 
the great divide, the birthplace of mighty rivers, 
and descending the sunset slope found them- 
selves in the land of the Shoshones. They 
had brought with them a Shoshone woman, 
rejoicing in the pleasant name of Sacajawea, 
for the express purpose of becoming acquainted 
with this tribe, through whom they hoped to 
get horses and valuable information as to their 
proper route to the ocean. But four days were 
consumed in enticing the suspicious savages 
near enough to hear the words of their own 
tongue proceeding from the camp of the strang- 
ers. When, however, th.e fair interpretress had 
been granted a hearing, she speedily won for 
the party the faithful allegiance of her kinsmen. 
They innocently accepted the rather general in- 
timation of the explorers that this journev had 
for its primary object the happiness and pros- 
perity of the Shoshone nation, and to these 
evidences of benevolence on the part of their 
newly adopted great father at Washington, 
they (|uickly responded by bringing plenty of 
horses and all tlie information in their poor 
p(.)wer. 

It appears that the expedition was at that 
time on the headwaters of the Salmon river, 
near where Fort Lemhi afterward stood. With 
twenty-nine horses to carry their ainnidant bur- 
dens they bade farewell to the friendly Sho- 
.^hones on the last dav of .August, and com- 



12 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COL'XTV. 



niitted themselves to tlie dreary and desolate 
solitudes to the westward. They soon became 
entangled in the savage ridges and defiles, al- 
ready spotted with snow, of the L5itter Root 
mountains. 

Having crossed se\'eral branches of the 
great river named in Ikmhu- of Captain Clark, 
and becoming distressed at the increasing 
dangers and delays, tliey turned to the left, and, 
having punished a brawling creek for its in- 
hospitality by inflicting on it the name of Colt- 
killed, commemorative of their extremity for 
food, they came upon a wild and beautiful 
stream, inquiring the name of which from the 
Indians they received the answer. "Konskoos- 
kie." This in realit_\- meant simply that this 
was not the stream for which thc\- were search- 
ing. But not understanding, they named the 
river Kooskooskie. This was afterwards called 
the Clearwater, and is the most beautiful tribu- 
tary of the Snake. 

The country still frowned on them with the 
same forbiddmg rocky heights and blinding 
snow storms as before. It began to seem as 
though famine would ere long stare them in 
the face, antl the shaggy precipices were marked 
with almost daily accidents to men and beasts. 
Their only meat was tlie flesh of their precious 
horses. 

Under these circumstances Clark decided 
to take six of the most active men and push 
ahead in search of game and a more hospit- 
able country. A hard march of twenty miles 
rewarded him with a view of a vast open plain 
in front of the broken mountain chain across 
which they had been struggling. It was three 
days, however, before they fairly cleared the 
edge of the mountains and emerged on the 
great prairie north and east of where Lewis- 
ton now is. They fomid no game except a 
stray horse, which they speedily dispatched. 



Here the adx'ance guard waited for the main 
body to come up, and then all together they 
went down to the Clearwater where a large 
number of Nez Perce Indians gathered to see 
and trade with them. Receiving from these 
Indians, who. like all that they had met, seemed 
\cr\' amicabh- disposed, the cheering news that 
the great river was not \-ery distant, and seeing 
the Clearwater to be a fine, navigable stream, 
they determined to abandon the weary land 
march and make canoes. Five of these having 
been constructed, they laid in a stock of dog 
meat, and then committed themselves to the 
sweei)ing current with which all the tributaries 
of the Columbia hasten to their destined place. 
They left their horses with the Xez Perces, 
and it is worthy of special notice that these 
were remarkably faithful to their trust. In- 
deed, it may be safely asserted that the first 
ex])lorers of this country almost uniformly met 
with llie kindest reception. The cruelty and 
deceit afterward characjeristic of the Indians 
were learned jiartly of the whites. 

On the loth of October, haNing traveled 
sixty miles on the Clearwater, its pellucid 
waters delivered them to the turbid, angry, 
sullen, and lava-banked Snake. This great 
stream they called the Kimooenim, its Indian 
name. It was in its low season, and it seems 
fiom their account that it. as well as all the 
other streams, must have been uncommonly 
low that year. 

Thus they say that on October 13th they 
descended a very bad rapid four miles in 
length, at tlie lower part of which the whole 
river was compressed into a channel only twen- 
five yards wide. Immediately below they 
passed a large stream on the right, which they 
called Drewyer's river, from one of their men. 
This must lia\e been the Palouse river and 
rapid, and certainly it is very rare that the 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 13 

niiglity Snake becomes attenuated at tliat puint until broken by tbe rounded summits of tbe 

to a widtli of twenty-five yards. Tbe next Blue mountains. They tind the Sohulks, who 

dav, descending the worst rapids they had yet lived at the junction of tbe rivers, a mild and 

seen (probably the ^^lonumental rapid) it re- happy people, the men being content with one 

pelled their afifrontery by upsetting one of the wife, whom they actually assist in the family 

boats. No lives were lost, but the cargo of work. 

the boat was badly wetted. For the purpose Captain Clark ascended the Columbia to the 
of drying it they stopped a day, and finding mouth of a large river coming from the west, 
no other timber, they were compelled to use which the Lidians called the Tapteal. This 
a very appropriate pile which some Indians was, of course, the Yakima. The people living- 
had very carefully stored away and cov- at its mouth rejoiced in the liquid name of 
ered with stone. This trifiing circumstance is Chimnapum. Here Captain Clark shot what 
noticed because of the exi)lorers speaking in he called a prairie cock, the first he had seen, 
connection with it of their customary scrupu- I.: was the sage hen, no doubt, a handsome bird 
lousness in never taking any property of the nearly as large as a turkey and very common 
Indians, and of their determination to repay along the river at the present time, 
the owner if they could find him, on their re- After two days' rest, being well supplied 
turn. If all explorers had been as particular, with fish, dog, roots, etc., and at peace with 
nuich is the distress and loss that wtndd have their own consciences and all the world, with 
been avoided. satisfaction at the prospect of soon completing 
They found almost continuous rapids from their journey, they re-embarked. Sixteen 
this point to the mouth of the Snake, which miles below the mouth of the Kimooenim, 
they reached on October i6th. Here they were which they now began to call the Lewis river, 
met by a regular procession of nearly two they described, cut clear against the dim hor- 
hundred Indians. They had a grand pow- i:;on line of the southwest, a pyramidal moun- 
wow and both parties displayed great affec- tain, covered with snow — their first view of 
tion for each other, the whites bestowing Mount Hood. 

medals, shirts, trinkets, etc., in accordance with The next day, being in the vicinity of 
the rank of the recipient, and the Indians re- Umatilla, they saw another snowy peak at a 
paying the kindness with abundant and pro- conjectured distance of one hundred and fifty 
longed visits and accompanying gifts of wood miles. This they supposed to be Mount St. 
arid fish. On the next day they measured the Helens, but it was, in reality, ]\Iount Adams. 
rivers, finding the Columljia to be 960 yards Near here Captain Clark. ha\-ing landed, shot 
wide, and the Snake 575. They indulge in no a crane and a duck. Some Indians near were 
poetic reveries as they stand by the river which almost paralyzed with terror. At last they re- 
had been one principal object of their search, covered enough to make the best possible use 
but they seem to have seen pretty much every- of their legs. Following them Captain Clark 
thing of practical value. In the glimmering found a little cluster of huts. Pushing aside 
haze of the pleasant October morning they no- the mat door of one of them, he entered, and 
tice the vast bare prairie stretching southward in the bright light of the unroofed hut discov- 



<4 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY, 



ered tliirty-two persons, all of whom were in the 
greatest terror, some wailing and wringing 
their hands. 

Having hy kind looks and gestures soothed 
their grief, he held up his burning glass to 
■catch a stray sunbeam with which to light his 
pipe. Thereat the consternation of the In- 
dians revived, and they refused to be com- 
forted. But when the rest of the party arrived 
with the two Indian guides who had come with 
them from the Clearwater, terror gave way to 
curiosity and pleasure. These Pishquitpaws— 
such was their name — explained to the guides 
their fear of Captain Clark by saying that he 
came from the sky accompanied by a terrible 
noise, and they knew that there was a bad 
medicine in it. 

Being convinced now that he was a mortal 
after all. they became very affectionate, and 
having heard the music of two violins they be- 
came so enamoured of the strangers that they 
stayed up all night with them and collected 
to the number of two hundred to bid them 
good bye in the morning. The ]H"incipal busi- 
ness of these Indians seemed to be catching and 
curing salmon, which, in the clear water of the 
Columbia, the explorers could see swimming 
about in incredible numbers. Continuing with 
no extraordinary occurrence, they passed the 
river now called the John Day. to which they 
applied the name Lapage. Mt. Hood was now 
almost constantly in \iew. and since the In- 
dians told them it was near the great falls of 
the Columbia, they called it the Timm (this 
seems to be the Indian word for falls) moun- 
tain. 

On the next day they reached a large river 
on the left, which came thundering through a 
narrow channel into the e(|ually turbulent Co- 
luml)ia. This river, which Captain Lewis 
judged to contain one-fourth as much water 



as the Columbia (an enormous over estimate) 
answered to the Indian name of Towahna- 
hiooks. It afterwards received from the 
French the name now used — Des Chutes. 

They now perceived that they were near 
the place hinted at by nearly every Indian that 
thev had talked with since crossinor the divide 
— the great falls. And a weird, savage place 
it proved to be. Here the clenched hands of 
trachyte and basalt, thrust through the soil 
from the buried realm of the volcanoes, 
almost clutch the rushing river. Only here 
and there between the parted fingers can he 
make his escape. 

After making several portages they reached 
th.at extraordinary place (now called The 
Dalles ) Avhere all the waters gathered from half 
a million square miles of earth are squeezed 
into a crack forty-five yards wide. The desola- 
tion on either side of this frightful chasm is a 
fitting margin. As one crawls to the edge and 
peeps over he sees the water to be of inky 
blackness. Streaks of foam gridiron the 
blackness. There is little noise compared with 
the shallow rapids abo\e. but rather a dismal 
sough, as though the rocks below were rub- 
bing their black sides together in the vain 
eft'ort to close over the escaping river. The 
river is here "turned on edge." In fact, its 
depth has not b^en found to this day. Some 
suppose that there was once a natural tunnel 
here through which the ri\-er flowed, and that 
in consequence of a volcanic convulsion the 
top of the tunnel fell in. If there lie any truth 
in this, the width of the channel is no doubt 
much greater at the bottom than at the top. 
Lewis and Clark, finding that the roughness 
of the shore made it almost impossible to carry 
their boats over, and seeing no evidence of 
rocks in the channel, boldly steered right 
through this Witches' Cauldron. Though no 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 15 

doubt whirled along with frightful rapidity dalles and the cascades. But the explorers had 

and flung like foam flakes on the crests of the their eyes wide open, and the calm majesty of 

boiling surges, they reached the end of the the river and the savage grandeur of its shores 

"chute" without accident, to the amazement received due notice. They observed and named 

■of the Indians who had collected on the bluff m.ost of the streams on the route, the first of 

to witness the daring e.xperiment. After two importance being the Cataract river (now the 

more portages the party safely entered the Klickitat), then Labieshe's river (Hood river), 

broad, still flood beginning where the town Canoe creek (White Salmon) and Crusatte's 

of The Dalles now stands. Here they paused ri\'er. This last must have been the Little 

for two days to hunt and caulk their boats. White Salmon, though they were greatly de- 

They here began to see evidences of the white cci\-ed as to its size, stating it to be sixty yards 

traders below, in blankets, axes, brass kettles, wide. In this vicinity they were much struck 

and other articles of civilized manufacture, with the sunken forest, which at that low stage 

The Indians, too, were more inclined to be of the water was very conspicuous. Thev 

saucy and suspicious. correctly inferred that this indicated a dam- 

The dalles seemed to be a dividing line be- ming up of the river at a very recent time. In 

tween the Indian tribes. Those living at the deed they judged that it must have occurred 

falls, where Celilo now is, called the Enee- within twenty years. It is well known, how^ 

shurs, understood and "fellowshipped" with all ever, that submerged trees or piles, as indicated 

the up-river tribes. But at the narrows and by remains of the old Roman wharfs in Britain, 

thence to the dalles was a tribe called the Es- may remain intact for hundreds of years. It 

cheloots. These were entirely alien to the is. nevertheless, evident that the closing of the 

Indians above, but on intimate terms with those river at the cascades was a very recent event, 

below to the cascades. Among the Esche- It is also evident from the sliding, sinking, and 

loots the explorers first noticed the peculiar grinding constantly seen there now that a sim- 

"cluck" in speech common to all down-river ilar e\ent is liable to happen at anv time, 

tribes. The flattening of the head, which above The cascades having been reached more 

belonged to the females only, was now the pijrtages were required. Slow and tedious 

common thing. though tlie\- were, the explorers seem to have 

The place where Lewis and Clark camped en.dured them with unfailing patience. They 

while at the dalles was just below Alill creek were cheered bv the prospect of soon putting 

(called by the natives Ouenett), on a point of all the rapids behind and launching their ca- 

rocks near the present location of the car noes on the unnl)structed \-astness of the lower 

shops. river. 

The next Indian trilie, extending appar- This was successfully accomplished on the 
enth- from the \icinity (if Crate's point to the 2d of November. 'l"he\- were greatly delight- 
cascades, capped the clima.x of tongue-twist- ed with the verdure which now robed the gaunt 
ing names l)y calling themselves Chilluckitte- nakedness of the rocks. The island formed at 
(juaws. the lower cascades by Cnlumbia slough also 

Nothing of an extraordinary character ].)leased them greatly by its fertility and its 

seems to have been encountered between the dense growth of grass and strawberry vines. 



i6 



HISTORY OF \\"ALLA \V.\LLA COUNTY. 



From this last circumstance they named it 
Strawberry island. At the lower part of that 
cluster of islands, that spired and turreted 
relic of the old feudal age of the river, when 
the volcano kings stormed each other's castles 
with earthquakes and spouts of lava, riveted 
their attention. They named it Beacon rock, 
but it is now called Castle rock. They esti- 
mated its height at eight hundred feet and its 
circumference at four hundred yards, the lat- 
ter being only a fourth of the reality. 

The tides were now noticeable. This fact 
must have struck a new chord of reflection in 
the minds of these hardy adventurers; this 
first-felt pulse beat of the dim vast of waters 
which grasps half the circumference of the 
earth. And so, as this mighty heart-throb of 
the ocean, rising and falling in harmony with 
all nature, celestial and terrestrial, pulsated 
through a hundred and eighty miles of river, 
it might have seemed one of the ocean's mul- 
tiplied fingers outstretched to welcome them, 
the first organized expedition of the new re- 
public to this westmost west. It might have 
betokened to them the harmony and unity of 
future nations, as exemplified in the vast e.x- 
tent, the liberty, the 'human sympathies, the 
diversified interests, industries and purposes 
of that republic, whose motto yet remains, 
one from many. 

The rest of their journey was a calm float- 
ing between meadows and islands from whose 
shallow ponds they obtained ducks and geese 
in great numbers. 

They thought the "quick-sand river" — 
Sandy — to be a large and important stream. 
They noticed the W'ashougal creek, which 
from the great numl)er of seals around its 
mouth they called Seal river. But strange to 
say they missed the Willamette entirely on 
their down trip. The Indians in this part of 



the river called themselves Skilloots. Drop- 
ping rapidly down the calm but misty stream, 
past a large river called by the Indians the 
Cowaliske — Cowlitz — through the country of 
the Wahkiacums, at last, on the Jth of No- 
vember, the dense fog with which the morn- 
ing had enshrouded all objects, suddenly broke 
away, and they saw the bold mountainous 
shores on either side to vanish away in front, 
and through the parted headlands they looked 
into the infinite expanse of the ocean. 

Overjoyed at the successful termination 
of their journey, they sought the first pleas- 
ant camping ground and made haste to land. 
The rain, which is sometimes even now ob- 
served to characterize that part of our fair 
state, greatly marred the joy of their first 
night's rest within sound of the Pacific's 
billows. 

Six days passed in mouldy and dripping 
inactivity at a point a little above the present 
Chinook. They then spent nine much pleas- 
anter days at Chinook Point. This, however, 
not proving what they wanted for a perma- 
nent camp, they devoted themselves to explo- 
rations with a view to discovering a more 
suitable location. 

After many adventures of which lack of 
space forbids us to speak, they became settled. 
The party wintered in a log building at a point 
named by them Fort Clatsop, on the Lewis 
and Clark river, south side of the Columbia. 
On the 23d of March, 1806. they turned their 
faces homeward, first, however, having given 
to the chiefs of the Clatsops and Chinooks 
certificates of hospitable treatment, and posted 
on the fort the following notice : "The object 
o' this last is. that, through the medium of 
seme civilized person who may see the same, it 
may be made known to the world, that the 
party consisting of the persons whose names 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



17 



arc licrcunti) annexed and wlio were sent out 
liy tile t;i;vernnient of the United States to ex- 
plore tile interiiir of the continent of North 
America, did ])cnelrate the same by way of the 
Missouri aiul Columbia rivers, to the discharge 
of the latter into the Pacific ocean, at which 
they arri\'ed on the 14th day of November, 
1805, and dei)arted on their return to the 
United States by the same r(jute by which they 
had come." 

Of this notice several copies were left 
amon<;- the Indians, one of which fell into the 
hands of Captain Hall of the brig Lydia and 
was conveyed to the United States. 

The expedition made its way with no little 
difficulty up the C(jhimbia ri\'er. They dis- 
covered on their return a large tributary of 
that river (the Willamette) which had escaped 
their notice on their downward journey, and 
made careful inquiries of the Indians concern- 
ii:g it, the results of which were embodied in 
their ma]) of the expedition. 

.\t the mouth of the John Day river their 
canoes were abandoned, their baggage was 
packed on the backs of a few horses they had 
imrchased from the Indians, rmd tra\'eling in 
thiis manner, they continued tlieir homeward 
march, arriving at the mouth of the Walla 
Walla river on April 27th. The great chief 
Yellept was then the leader of the Walla Walla 
nation, and by him the explorers were received 
with such generous hospitality that they _\'ield- 
ed to the temptation to linger a couple of days 
before undertaking further journeyings among 
the mountain fastnesses. Such was the treat- 
ment given them by these Indians, that the 
journal of the expedition makes this ap]M-ecia- 
ti\-e notation concerning them: "We may in- 
deed justly afiirm that of all the Indians that 
we have seen since leaving the United States, 



the Walla Wallas were the most hospitable, 
honest and sincere." 

Of the return journey for the next hun- 
tlred and fifty miles, that venerable pioneer 
missionary, Dr. Jl. K. Hines, writes as fol- 
lows : 

''Leaving these hospitable people on the 
29th of April, the ])arty passed eastward on the 
great 'Nez Perce trail." This trail was the 
great highway of the Walla Wallas, Cayuses 
and Nez Perces eastward to the Iniffalo ranges, 
t'.) which they aniuially resorted for game sup- 
plies. It passed up the valley of the Touchet, 
called by Lewis and Clark the AVhite Stal- 
lion,' thence over the high prairie ridges and 
down the Alpowa to the crossing of the Snake 
river, then up the north bank of Clearwater 
to the x'illage of Twisted Hair, where the ex- 
ploring party had left their horses on the w^ay 
down the previous autumn. It was worn deep 
and broad, ;nid on many stretches on the open 
]ilains and over the smooth hills twenty horse- 
men could ride abreast in parallel paths worn 
1/y the constant rush of the Indian generations 
from time immemorial The writer has often 
passed over it when it lay exactly as it did when 
the tribes of Yellept and Twisted Hair traced 
its sinuous courses, or when Lewis and Clark 
and their companions first marked it with the 
licel of ci\'ilization. Rut the plow has long 
since obliterated it. and where the monotonous 
song of the Indian march was droningly 
chanted for so many barbaric ages the song 
of the reaper thrills the clear air as he comes 
to his garner bringing in the sheaves. A more 
delightful ride of a hundred and fifty miles than 
this that the company of Lewis and Clark made 
over the swelling prairie upland and along the 
crystal streams between Walla Walla and the 
village of Twisted Hair, in the soft May days 



i8 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



of 1806, can scarcely be found anywhere on 
earth. 

To trace the explorations of these trav- 
elers further is not within the province of this 
work, but in order to convey a general idea 
of the labors and e.xtent of the voyage we 
ciuote the brief summary made by Captain 
Lewis himself: 

"The road by which we went out by the 
Avay of the Missouri to its head is 3,096 miles; 
thence Iw' land by way of Lewis river over to 
■Clark's river and down that to the entrance of 
Traveler's Rest creek, where all the roads from 
■different routes meet; thence across the rugged 
])art of the Rocky mountains to the navigable 
waters of the Columbia 398 miles, thence 
■down the ri\er 640 miles to the Pacific ocean — 
making a total distance of 4,1 34 miles. On 
■our return in 1806 we came from Traveler's 
Rest directlv to the falls of the Missouri river, 
Avhich shortens the distance about 579 miles, 
and is a much better route, reducing the dis- 
tance from the ]\Iississippi to the Pacific ocean 
to 3.555 miles. Of this distance 2.575 miles 
is up the Missouri to the falls of that river; 
thence passing through the i)lains and across 
the Rocky mountains to the navigable waters 
of the Kooskooskie river, a branch of the Co- 
lumbia. 340 miles. 200 of which is good road, 
140 miles over a tremendous mountain, steep 
.•and broken, sixty miles of which is covered 
several feet deep with snow, on which we 
passed on the last of June ; from the navigable 
part of the Kooskooskie we descended that 
rapid river seventy-three miles to its entrance 
into the Lewis river, and down that river 154 
miles to the Columbia, and thence 413 miles 
to its entrance into the Pacific ocean. About 
180 miles of this distance is tide water. We 
passed several bad rapids and narrows, and 
•one considerable fall, 268 miles above the en- 



trance of this river, thirty-seven feet, eight 
inches ; the total distance descending the Co- 
Ir.mbia waters 640 miles — making a total of 
3.555 miles, on the most direct route from the 
Mississippi, at the mouth of the Missouri, to 
the Pacific ocean." 

The safe return of the explorers to their 
homes in the L'nited States naturally created 
a sensation throughout this couritry and the 
world. Leaders and men were suitably re- 
wardetl. and the fame of the former will live 
\\'hile the ri\-ers to which their names have 
been given continue to pour their waters into 
the sea. President Jefferson, the great patron 
of the expedition, paying a tribute to Captain 
Lewis in 1813, said: "Never did a similar 
event excite more joy throughout the United 
States. The humblest of its citizens have taken 
a lively interest in the issue of this journey, 
and looked with impatience for the information 
it would furnish. Nothing short of the of- 
ficial journals of this extraordinary and in- 
teresting journey will exhibit the importance 
of the service, the courage, devotion, zeal and 
perseverance under circumstances calculated to 
discourage, which animated this little band of 
heroes, throughout the long, dangerous and 
tedious travel." 

Among many journeys of discovery liy 
land which followed that of Lewis and Clark 
we select as the most interesting and typical 
tl:at of the Hunt party, which was the land 
division of the great Astor movement to estab- 
lish the Pacific Fur Company. That com- 
]Xiny was established by John Jacob Astor for 
the purpose of making a bold and far-reach- 
ing attempt to control the vast fur trade of the 
Pacific coast in the interest of the United 
States. The sea di\'ision set sail frum New 
York in 1810 in the ship Tonquin. In the 
meantime Wilson Price Himt. the second part- 



HISTORY OF \\'ALLA WALLA COUNTY, 



19 



iier in tiie concern, was at St. Louis organizing 
a land party, which was to cross tlie plains and 
■co-operate with the dixisinn l)y sea. Hunt had 
been merchandising for some years at St. Louis. 
His principal trade being with trappers and 
Indians, he had become very familiar with the 
requirements of the business. In addition to 
this primary requisite he possessed a character, 
native and acquired, worthy of more frequent 
mention in our early annals and of more fre- 
■quent emulation jjy his associates and suc- 
cessors. Bra\'e, humane, patient, cheerful and 
resolute, he rises from the mists of history and 
reminiscence as the highest type of the Jasons 
who vied with those of ancient story in their 
search for the fleeces (this time of seal and 
beaver instead of gold) of the far west. To 
a powerful physi(|ue and iron nerve Hunt added 
a refinement and culture rare indeed among the 
bold, free spirits of the frontier. 

In company with Hunt from the outset was 
another partner, Donald McKenzie by name. 
He was a man insensible of fear, inured by 
years of hardship to the ups and downs of the 
trapper's life, and renowned even on the border 
for his marvelous accuracy with the rifle. The 
first thing for them was to get their men. To 
do this all the tact and patience of Hunt were 
brought into full play. For a proper under- 
standing of his position it will be necessary 
to describe briefly the classes from whom he 
Avas obliged to fill his .ranks. 

There were at tliis time two great classes 
ol trappers. The first and most numerous were 
the Canadian voyageurs. These men were 
mainly of French descent. Many of them were 
half-breeds. They were the legacy of the old 
French domination o\-er Canada. Cradled in 
the canoe or batteau. their earliest remem- 
brance being the cold l)lne lake or foamine 
river, almost amphibious bv nature and train- 



ir.g, gay and amiable in disposition, with true 
French vivacity and ingenuity, gilding every 
harsh and bitter experience with laugh and 
song, with their quick sympathies and humane 
instincts easily getting on the best side of the 
savages, not broad in designing but not the 
less patient, courageous and indomitable in 
executing, these French voyageurs were the 
n:ain dependence of traffic in the wilderness. 
The second class were free trappers ; 
Eooshaways they were sometimes called. These 
men were mainly Americans. Virginia and 
Kentucky were the original homes of many of 
them. They were the perfect antipodes of the 
voyageurs. Often with gigantic frames built 
up on prairie dew and mountain breeze, with 
buffalo steak and wild birds' flesh wrought into 
their iron sinews; with nerves of steel, on 
which it seemed might harmlessly play e\-en 
the lightnings of Missouri storms, the drift- 
ing snows of winter but a downy coverlid to 
them, and the furnace blasts of summer but 
balmy zephyrs ; gorging themselves in the midst 
of plenty, but mocking the power of hunger and 
thirst when in want; mighty braggarts, yet 
quick as lightning to make good their boasts; 
patient and indefatigable in their work of trap- 
ping, but when on their annual trips to the 
towns given to wild dissipations and savage 
rcvelings, "sudden and rash in quarrel," care- 
less of each other's sympathy or co;niDany; 
harsh ami cruel to the Indians when in power 
over them, but bold and recklessly defiant when 
weaker than they; seizing without compunction 
the prettiest Indian women and the best horses 
as their rightful booty; with blood always in 
their eyes, thunder in their voices, and pistols 
in their hands, yet underneath it all many of 
tl-.em having hearts as big as- buffaloes, could 
th.ey but be reached, — this now vanished race of 
Booshaways has gone to a place in history be- 



20 



HISTORY OF W ALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



side tlic 1)1(1 Spartans, whose greatest boast it 
was that the city had no walls, their army 
being the wall and every man tlierein a brick, 
or beside the Spanish con(|uerors of Mexico 
and Peru, like Orellana, who descended the 
Amazon on a raft and then put to sea with 
such a climax of audacity that even the stormy 
Atlantic was frightened into acrpiiescence and 
let him pass in safety. 

This old streak of brutality and tyranny, 
originally cast into the Anglo-Sa.xon nature and 
n-.anifested in its best form in the savage 
grandeur of the Norse Valhalla, and in the 
overpowering energy of the Vikings, and at 
every emergency breaking with volcanic fury 
tln-ough the tliin crust of modern culture, has 
.shown itself in no way more notably than in 
the whole Indian management of the American 
Government. These free trappers executed 
with a vengeance the unsiioken, but not less 
real, policy of our government. Humanity, 
ar.d even shrewd ])olic}-. had little place in the 
thoughts and actions of most of them. The 
Irdians were simply to be stamped on like so 
many rattlesnakes. In the trapper's code, for 
an Indian to look longingly at a white man's 
horse, or even to be seen in the ^■icinity of a 
beaver trap, was sufficient warrant to send a 
ride ball |)loughing its way through his heart. 
The Gallic gentleness and social)ility which 
enabled the Canadian voyageurs to go almost 
anywhere unharmed among the Indians, found 
no counterpart in the sterner composition of the 
great majority of .\merican trappers and 
traders. 

Such were the men from whom I hint had to 
make up his little army, and a ve.xatious job it 
was, too. The rivalries of opixjsing companies 
were the opportunity of the trappers. Big 
wages were demanded. Old whisky bills had 
to be paid off. The clutch of the sheriff had 



to be loosene 1 by the golden lever of wages 
in advance. Worst of all. Hunt found at 
nearly every station where he tried to eneaee 
men that the agents of the ilissouri Fur Com- 
p;iny, chief of whom was a Spaniard named 
Manuel Lisa, were neutralizing his efforts by 
representing the dangers from the hostile 
tribes and barren wastes intervening between 
the Missouri plains and the Pacific. But 
Hunt's patience and perseverance, backed by 
Astor's unstinted purse, overcame all obstacles, 
and in .\pril. iSn. the winter rendezvous at 
the mouth of the Nodowa ( four hundred and 
eighty miles above St. Louis) was abandoned, 
and in four boats, one of large size, and mount- 
ing a swivel and two howitzers, the party of 
sixty set forth up the almost untraveled Mis- 
souri. Of the party five were partners. Hunt, 
Crooks, McKenzie, Miller and McLellan. One 
was a clerk. Reed by name. There were two 
English naturalists, Bradbury and Nuttall. 
Forty of the party were Canadian vo\-ageurs. 
They were to do the rowing, transporting, 
carrying, cooking, and all the drudgery in gen- 
eral. The remainder were American hunters 
and trappers. These were the fellows to hunt 
and fight and i>lan and explore, and, when the 
proper place was reached, to cast themselves 
upon the mercy of the savages and wild beasts, 
endure hunger and thirst and establish trading 
posts. The chief of these hunters was a \'ir- 
ginian named John Day. We shall meet him 
freciuently. The party was in all respects 
most bountifully equipped. They designed 
following as nearly as possible the route of 
Lewis and Clark. 

Many interesting and some thrilling and 
exciting scenes were encountered on the pas- 
sage up the Missouri, especially on their way 
through the country of the Sioux Tetons. But 
thev met with no serious hindrance, and on 



HISTORY OF ^^'ALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



21 



the nth of June they reached a large village 
of the Arickaras, fourteen hundred and thirty 
miles above the mouth of the Missouri. It 
had been determined before this, on the advice 
of several hunters who joined the party in the 
wilderness, after they had left the Nodowa, 
to abandon' their canoes at this point and, se- 
curing horses, strike across the country south 
of Lewis and Clark's route, so as to avoid 
the dreadful Blackfeet, who, alike the terror 
of the other Indians as well as of the whites, 
dominated all the region of the upper Mis- 
souri. So with eighty-two horses heavily 
loaded — the partners only, together with the 
family of Pierre Dorion, being mounted — on 
the 1 8th of July they set out hopefully, though 
with many gloomy prognostications from 
trappers remaining at the Arickara village, on 
their march across the Great American Des- 
ert and through the volcanic defiles of the 
great divide. 

On the wide monotony of the sky-bordered 
prairie they seemed to make no progress. Day 
succeeded day, and e\-ery morning's sun shot 
up, hot and dry, on apparently the very land- 
scape of the day before. They did not seem 
in fact, though taking a more direct route, 
to make so good time as did Lewis and Clark. 
Guided by the Crow Indians, they penetrated 
range after range of the stepping stones to 
the final ridge, supposing each to be the last, 
only to find when it was surmounted that one 
yet higher succeeded, and at last on the 15th 
of September — the summer already gone — 
they mounted a lofty peak whence the bound- 
less wilderness over which they had come as 
well as that which they must yet traverse, lay 
like a maj) at their feet. Gazing attentively 
westward tlieir guide finally pointed out three 
shining peaks ridging the western sky, whose 
bases he assured them were washed bv a trib- 



utary of the Colum1)ia. These peaks are now 
known as the Tetons from their peculiar 
shape. A hundred miles evidently lay between 
the wear}- travelers and that goal. When 
tJiere, they felt that they would be almost at 
the end of their journey, little realizing the 
character of the thousand miles of travel yet 
awaiting them. 

Passing the green banks of Spanish river, 
a tributary of the Colorado, they laid in a 
large stock of the plentiful bufifalo, gave their 
horses five days' rest and grazing on the 
alumdant grass, and on the 24th of September, 
crossing a narrow ridge, found themselves on 
the lianks of a turbulent stream, recognized 
by their guide as one of tlie sources of the 
Snake. From the name of the guide the 
stream was called Hoback's river. Down the 
rugged promontories which flanked this 
stream the party descended, often in danger 
of fatal falls, to its junction with a much 
larger one, which so much exceeded the first 
in fury of current as to recei\'e the name of 
Mad river. This seemed to issue from the 
midst of the Tetons, whose glacial and snowy 
immensity overtopped the camp of the trav- 
elers at the junction of the two streams. The 
all important question now arose, should they 
abandon the horses and make canoes with 
which to descend the river. It was evident 
that, though containing abuntlant water for 
large boats, it was so impetuous as to render 
navigating a dangerous Imsiness. But the 
Canadians insisted on making the attempt. 
Weary of the toilsome and rocky foot-paths 
of the mountains, and having all confidence 
in their well-tried ability in handling boats in 
any kind of water, they longed to betake them- 
selves once more to their favorite element, 
and, paddle in hand, their gay French songs 
beating time to the music of the paddles, they 



22 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



\V()ukl lie ready t(5 shocit another Niagara, if 
it came in their way. Tlie partners linally 
gave tlieir consent to mai<e canoes. Fortliwith 
tiie voyageurs repaired with joyful hearts to 
the adjacent woods, whicii soon began to yield 
up its best timber for the projected boats. 
]\Ieanwhile a party of three, of whom the re- 
doubtable John Day was one, went down Mad 
river on a two days' journey. They returned 
declaring that neither in boats nor with horses 
along the banks could the jiarty possibly go. 
Disappointed in this plan they now took 
the advice of Hoback to go to a trapping post 
which had been established the year before 
by Mr. Henry, of the Missouri Fur Company. 
This post Hoback knew to be on one of the 
upper waters of the Snake and he thought 
that it could not be far distant. A violent 
storm of sleet, arising in the midst of their 
deliberations, admonished them that winter 
was near at hand and that they must hasten 
on one way or the other. The Snake Indians 
who had come to their camp liefore tlie storm 
and had professed to know the location of 
Henry's post, now agreed to guide them 
tliitlier. Acc(jrdingly on the 4th of October, 
the liills all around being spotted with snow, 
they resumed their horseback march. Four 
days of coUl and difticult journeying tonk 
them to a cluster of deserted log huts. This 
had been Hem"y's trailing station, liut was 
now entirely abandoned. Beside the huts 
flowed a beautiful river a hundred yards wide. 
It was to all ai)pearance a fine navigable 
stream. Two weeks of industrious \\ork pro- 
vided fifteen canoes, and in these, hastily em- 
barking, they pusheil out into the stream. 
'I'heir horses were left in charge of the two 
Snake Indians. .\ine men also, including 
Miller, one of the partners, had been detached 
from the party at points l)etwcen Mad river 



and Henry's river, as the new stream was 
called. These men were to di\'ide up in squads 
and trap on the streams thereabout. Well pro- 
vided with traps, clothes, horses and ammuni- 
tion, they set out cheerfully into the unknown 
and wintry recesses of the mountins, expect- 
ii-g to issue thence in the spring with a great 
stock of valuable peltries, ^\'ith these they 
could make their best way to Astoria. 

^^'ith the rapid current aiding the skillful 
paddles of the voyageurs, whose spirits rose 
to an unwonted height, even for them, as soon 
as they found themselves on the water, the 
canoes swept swiftly on toward the sunset. 
Tliey soon came to the mouth of a stream 
which they took to lie their old friend, the Mad 
river. They now considered themselves fairly 
embarked on the main body of the Snake, and 
already, in imagination, they began to toss on 
tlie vast current of the Columbia, and even ta 
smell the salt breeze of the mild Pacific. Oc- 
casional rocky points abutting on the river 
made rapids which alternated with calni 
stretches of water, whose banks, shallow and 
grass}', were enlivened with perfect clouds of 
wild geese and ducks. For nine days they 
swept gaily on, with comparatively slight in- 
terruptions, making over three hundretl miles 
from the place where they had first embarked. 

1 hen they met with a most lamentable dis- 
aster. In the sec<ind canoe of the sipuulron 
were Mr. Crooks as bowman and .Vntoine 
Clajipine as steersman. The first canoe hav- 
ing safely passed a dangerous rajiid, the sec- 
ond essayed to follow. With a sudden lurch 
she missed her course and the next instant 
split ui)on a rock. Crooks and three of his 
companions succeeded, after a hard struggle, 
in reaching the land, but Clappine, one of the 
most i)oi)ular and useful men in the comj)any, 
was l«-)St amid the boiling surges. The_\' had 



HISTORY OF WALLA \\^\LLA COUNTY. 



2 J 



now arrived at an unboatable chain of rapids 
and frightful bhiffs, among which neither 
boats nor horses, nothing, in short, 1nit wings, 
were of use. At the beginning of this strait 
was one of those volcanic cracks peculiar to 
the rivers of this coast, in which the whole 
volume of the Snake is scjueezed into a place 
thirty feet wide. This miniature maelstrom 
recei\ed from the disheartened voyagers the 
name of "The Caldron Linn."' 

The whole sc|uadron now came to a halt. 
It was evident that a portage at least would 
be needed. And from the shaggy volcanic ap- 
pearance about and below them, they had great 
fear that the ubstructions extended a long dis- 
tance. This fear was realized when, after a 
forty-mile tramp down the river, Mr. Hunt 
discovered no prospect of successful naviga- 
tion. Returning to the main body, therefore, 
and discovering that they had but five days' 
food and no prospect of getting more, he de- 
termined to divide the party into four parts, 
hoping that some ime of them might find aliund- 
ant game and a way out of the lifeless, vol- 
canic waste in which they were. One party, 
under McLellan, was to descend the river; 
another under Crooks was to ascend it, hoping 
to find game or Indian guides on tlie way, 
but, if not, to keep on to the place where they 
had left their horses. Still another detach- 
ment, under McKenzie, struck northward 
across the plains, having in view to reach the 
main Cokimbia. 

j\lr. Hunt, left in charge of the main body, 
proceeded at once to cache a large part of their 
goods. Nine caches having been made to hold 
the large deposit, they took careful notice of 
the landmarks of the neighborhood ff^- future 
return, and then got themselves in readiness 
to move just as soon as the word should come 
from any of the scouting parties. Within 



three days Crooks and his party returned. 
Despairing of success on their doleful, retro- 
grade march, they had determined to share 
with their companions whatever might await 
them on the onward trip. Five days later, the 
party meanwhile beginning to see the ghastly 
face of famine staring at them, two of Mc- 
Lellan's party returned, bidding them aban- 
don all thought of descending the river. For 
many miles the river ran through volcanic 
sluice-ways, roaring and raging, at many 
places almost lost from sight underneath im- 
pending crags, generally inaccessible from its- 
desert bank, so that, though within sound of 
its angry ravings, they had often lain down, 
to their insufficient rest with parched and 
swollen tongues. 

To manifest their anger at the hateful 
stream they named this long volcanic chute 
the "Devil's Scuttle Hole." What now re- 
mained ? Nothing, evidently, but to hasten 
with all speed, their lives being at issue, to 
some more hospitable place. Ihe party was, 
therefore, divided in two. One division, un- 
der Hunt, went down the north side of the 
river, and the other, under Crooks, took the 
opposite side. This was done in order to in- 
crease the chances of finding food and of 
meeting Indians. It was on the ninth of No- 
vember that they started on this dismal and 
heart-sickening march. Until December they 
urged on their course, cold, hungry, oftea 
n.ear starvation. .\t occasional wretched In- 
dian camps they managed to secure dogs for 
food, and once they got a few horses. These 
were loaded down with their baggage, but, 
through scarcity of food, began soon to be too 
N'cak to be of much serx'ice, and so their attenu- 
ated carcasses, one by one, were devoted to ap- 
pease the hunger of the famished expk)rers. 

The country through which they were pass- 



24 



HISTORY OF WALLA \\-ALLA COUXTY. 



ing presented an almost unvarying aspect of 
volcanic and snowy desolation. The feu- 
frightened and half-starved Snake Indians that 
they encoinitered could give no information 
as to the route. They signified, however, that 
the great river was yet a long way off. Hunt 
estimated that they had now put about four 
hundred and seventy miles between them and 
Caldron Linn. They were evidently approach- 
ing something, for gigantic snowy mountains, 
lifeless and almost treeless, seemed to bar their 
further way. Nevertheless they persisted with 
the energy of despair and clambered painfully 
up the snowy heights until at a sufficient ele- 
vation to command a vast view. Then, with 
a waste of mountains in front and bitter winds 
whirling the snow and sleet in their faces, 
thev first began to despair of forcing their 
wav. The short winter's day shut in upon 
their despair, and they were compelled to 
camp in the snow. Timber was found in suf- 
ficient quantity to prevent freezing, but dur- 
ing the night another snow storm burst on 
them furiously, and daylight, sluggishly steal- 
ing through the snow-clogged atmosphere, 
found them in a perfect cloud. The roaring 
river far below them was their only guide to 
further progress. Down the slippery and wind- 
swept mountain side they picked their way to 
the river bank. Here the temperature was 
nnich milder. Devouring one of their skin- 
and-lione horses, they crept a few miles along 
the rocky brink of the brawling flood and made 
a cheerless camp. On the following morning 
(December 6) they were startled by seeing, on 
the opposite bank of the stream, a party of white 
men more forlorn and desolate than them- 
selves. A little observation convinced Hunt 
that these men were Crooks and party. Shout- 
ir.g across the stream at last he made himself 
heard above the raging river. As soon as the 



men discovered him they screamed for food. 
From the skin of the horse killed the night 
liefore Mr. Hunt at once constructed a canoe. 
In this crazy craft one of the Canadians dar- 
ingly and successfully crossed the fearful look- 
ing river, taking with him part of the horse 
and bringing back with him 'Mr. Crooks and 
Le Clere. 

Appalled at the wasted forms and despond- 
ent looks of these two men, and still further 
disheartened at the account they gave of the 
insurmountable obstacles to continuing down 
the river, Hunt determined to retrace his steps 
to the last Indian camp they had passed, there 
to make a more determined effort to obtain 
guides and horses. With dismal forebodings, 
therefore, on the following morning they took 
the back track. Crooks and Le Clere were so 
weak as to greatly retard the rest of the party. 
In this extremity the men besought Hunt to 
leave those two to their fate while they hast- 
ened on to the Indian camp. But Hunt reso- 
h.tely refused to abandon his weakened partner. 
The men began to push ahead until by night 
but five remained to bear him company. No 
provisions were left them except four beaver 
skins. After a night of freezing coldness, one 
of them being badly frost-bitten, Hunt, finding 
Crooks entirely unable to travel, concluded 
that his duty to the main company demanded 
his presence with them. Accordingly, having 
made the exhausted men as comfortable as 
possible and leaving two of the men and all 
but one of the beaver skins with them, Hunt 
and the remaining three men hastened on. 
A day and night of famine and freezing 
brought them up with their companions. The 
pangs of hunger were beginning to tell in va- 
cant looks and tottering steps. Some of them 
had not eaten for three days. Toward evening 
of that distressing day they saw with surprise 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



25 



and profound gratitude a lodge of Shoshones 
with a number of horses around it. 

Hunger knew no law. They descended 
on the camp, and seizing five horses, at once 
dispatched one of them. After a ravenous 
meal had satisfied their immediate necessities, 
they bethought them of their deserted compan- 
ions. A man was at once sent on horse- 
back to carry food to them and to aid them in 
coming up. In the morning Crooks and the 
remaining three men made their appearance. 
Food must now be got to the men on the op- 
posite bank. But a superstitious terror seemed 
to have seized their companions as they looked 
across the sullen river at them. Ghastly and 
haggard, the poor wretches beckoning across 
with bony fingers, looked more like spectres 
than men. Unable to get any of the Cana- 
dians, o\'erwhelmed as they were with ghostly 
fancies, to cross, one of tjie Kentucky hunters 
at last ventured the dangerous undertaking. 
Putting forth all his strength he at last suc- 
ceeded in landing a large piece of horse meat. 
Encouraged by this, one of the Canadians 
ventured over. 

One of the starving crew, frantic by his 
long deprivations, insisted on returning in the 
canoe. Before they had got across, the pleas- 
ant savor of the boiling meat so inspired him 
that he leaped to his feet and began to sing 
and dance. In the midst of this untimely 
festivity the canoe was overturned and the 
poor fellow was swept away in the icy cur- 
rent and lost. 

John Day, considered when they started 
the strongest man in the company, also crossed 
the river. His cavernous eyes and meager 
frame showed well how intense had been the 
suffering of the detachment on the west bank 
of the river. Often the wild cherries, dried 



on the trees, together with their moccasins, 
were their only food. 

The mountains which thus turned back 
this adventurous band were no doubt that 
desolate and rather unnecessary range border- 
ing the Wallowa country and the mouth of 
Salmon river. The detachments under Mc- 
Kenzie and McLellan, having reached these 
mountains Ijefore the heavy snows, and hav- 
ing found each other there, had stuck to that 
route until they had conquered it. After 
twenty-one days of extreme suffering and 
peril they reached the Snake at a point ap- 
parently not far from the site of Lewiston, 
and building canoes there, descended the river 
with no great trouble, reaching Astoria about 
the middle of January. 

Hunt and his men, saved from starvation 
by the discovery of the horses, hastened on 
to find Indian guides. But first Hunt, with 
his usual honesty, left at the lodge (for the 
occupants had fled at their coming) an amount 
of trinkets sufficient to pay for the horses he 
had taken. A few days later they reached a 
small village of Snakes. This, the largest vil- 
lage that they had seen on this side of the 
mountains, they had observed on their down 
trip,' but had not been able to get any assist- 
ance from the inhabitants. Now, however, 
with a persistence born of their necessities, 
they insisted on a guide. The Indians de- 
murred, representing that the distance to the 
ri\er was so great as to require from seven- 
teen to twenty-one days of hard traveling. 
They said that the snow was waist deep and 
that they would freeze. They very hospitably 
urged the party to stay with them. But as 
they also said that on the west side of the 
mountains was a large and wealthy tribe called 
the Sciatogas, from whom they might get 



26 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



food and horses. Hunt determined to push on, 
if he could find a single Lidian to accompany 
him. By a most bountiful offer this desid- 
eratum was finally met. They were informed 
tb.at they must cross to the west bank of the 
river, and enter the mountains to the west. 
With infinite tact and patience Hunt sustained 
the drooping spirits of the party. Many of 
them wanted to cast their lot for the winter 
with the vagabond troop of Snakes. They 
shrunk from crossing the chilly flood of 
Snake river with its huge ice blocks grind- 
ing other with a dismal sound. Then to 
commit themselves again to the mount- 
ains inspired them with terror. In fact, 
four of the Canadians, together with 
Crooks and John Day, were unable to go at 
all. But at last, in spite of doubt and weakness, 
everything was got together ( though they 
were obliged to desert their six sick com- 
panions) and in the bitter cold of the early 
evening (December 23) they crossed the river 
and at once struck for the mountains. They 
could only make about fourteen miles a day. 
Their fi\e jaded horses floundered painfully 
through the snow. Their only food was one 
meal of horse meat daily. On the fourth day 
of their journey the mountains gave way to 
a beautiful valley, across which they journeyed 
twenty miles. This must have been Powder 
river valley. Leaving this valley and turn- 
ing again into the mountains, a short but toil- 
some march brought them to a lofty height 
whence they looked down into a fair and 
snowless prairie, basking in the sunlight and 
looking to the winter-worn travelers like a 
dream of summer. Soon, best of all, they dis- 
cerned six lodges of Shoshones, well supplied 
with horses and dogs. Thither hastening 
eagerly, their hungry mouths were soon filled 
with roasted dog. This vallev. which looked 



so much like a paradise, must have been 
the Grande Ronde. Beautiful at all times, 
it must have seemed trebly so to these 
ragged and famished wanderers. The next 
morning the new year (1812) burst in upon 
them, bright and cheerful, as if to make amends 
for the relentless severity of its predecessor. 
The Canadians must now have their holiday. ' 
Not even famine and death could rob them of 
their festivals. So with dance and song and 
dog meat roasted, boiled, fried and fricasseed, 
they met the friendly overtures of the newly 
crowned potentate of time. Rested and re- 
freshed, they now addressed themselves to 
what their guides assured them was to be but 
a three days' journey to the plains of the great 
river. The time was mult.'plied by two, 
however, ere the cloudy canopy, which so 
enswathed the snowy waste as to hide both 
earth and sky from sight, parted itself be- 
fore a genial breath from some warmer clime. 
And then, wide below their snowy eyrie, lay 
stretched the limitless and sunny plains of 
the Columbia. Not more gladly did Cortez 
and his steel-clad veterans look from their 
post of observation upon the glittering halls 
of the jMontezumas. They swiftly descended 
the slopes of the mountains and emerged upon 
that diamontl of the Pacific coast, the Uma- 
tilla jjlains. 

Here a trihe of .Sciatogas or Tushepaws 
were camped, thirty-four lodges and two hun- 
dred horses strong. Well clad, active and hos- 
pitable, these Indians thawed out, almost as 
would have a civilized community, the well 
nigh frozen energies of the strangers. Re- 
joiced above all was Mr. Hunt to see in the 
lodges axes, kettles, etc., indicating that these 
Indians were in communication with the whites 
belmv. In answer to his eager questionings 
the Indians said that the great river was only 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 27 

two days distant and that a party of white of the journey was l^egun. Nothing extraor- 

men had just descended it. Conchiding that dinary marked the two hundreil mile boat ride 

these were McKenzie and party, Hunt felt re- down the ri\-er. 

lieved of one great anxiety. On the 15th of February, rounding the 

After a thorough rest the now joyful way- bluffs of Tongue Point, they beheld with full 
farers set forth across the fertile plains and hearts the stars and stripes floating over the 
after a pleasant ride of two days on the horses first civilized abode this side of St. Louis, 
obtained of the Tushepaws, lifting their eyes Right beyond the parted headlands and the 
they beheld a mighty stream, a mile wide, deep, water bordering horizon, they recognized the 
blue, majestic, sweeping through the treeless gateway to the illimitable ocean. As they 
plain, the Columbia. The hard and dangerous drew near the shore the whole population of 
part of the journey was now at an end. Li ^Astoria came pouring down to the cove (near 
the absence of timber, however, and because the modern site of "Dad's" saw-mill, now 
of the unwillingness of any Indians that they wharved over) to meet them. First in the 
met to sell canoes, they were obliged to wait crowd came the party of McKenzie and jMc- 
till reaching the dalles before launching upon Lellan. Having no hope that Hunt and his 
the stream. In the vicinity of the present men could escape from the winter and the fam- 
Rockland (they had come from L^matilla on ine they were the more rejoiced to see them., 
the north bank of the river) they had a "hyas Their joy in reuniting was proportioned to 
wa wa" with the redoubtable Wishram In- the darkness of the shadow of death whicli 
dians. Sharpened by their location at the coni had so long enshrouded them. The Cana- 
tluence of all the ways down stream, these In> dians, with French abandon, rushed into each 
dians had clearly grasped the fundamental other's arms, crying and hugging like so many 
doctrine of civilized trade, to-wit : Get the school girls. And even the hard-visaged 
greatest possible return with the least possible Scotchmen and nonchalant Americans gave 
outlay. To this end they levied a heavy toll themselves up to the unstinted gladness of the 
on all unwary passers. These levies were usu- occasion. The next day was devoted to feast- 
ally collected while the eyes of the taxed were ing and story telling. Xo doubt, like the feast- 
otherwise engaged. In short, these \\'ishram ing mariners of the .'Eneid, they discussed 
Indians were professional thieves. with prolonged speech the "ainissos socios." 

Endeavoring at first to frighten Mr. Hunt These, as the reader will remember, were 

into a liljeral "potlatch," then to beg of him Crooks and John Day, with four Canadians, 

l)y representing their great services in pro- who had been left sick on the banks of the 

tecting him from the rapacity of other Indians, Snake. Little hope was entertained of ever 

but finding no recognition of their claims ex- seeing them again. But as their story is a 

cept abundant whiffs at the pipe of peace, they natural sequel to that just ended, it shall be 

gave up in disgust and contented themselves given now. The next summer a party under 

with picking up whatever little articles might Stuart and AIcLellan, on their way from 

be lying around handy, .\fter considerable Okanagan to Astoria, saw wandering on the 

haggling several finely made canoes were pro- river bank near Umatilla two wretched beings, 

cured of these people ant! in these the last stage naked and haggard. Stopping their canoes to 



28 



lilSTOKV OF WALLA WALLA COL'XTY. 



investigate, they discovered to their glad sur- 
prise tiiat these l)eings were Day and Crooks. 

Their forlorn pliglu was c|uickly relieved 
with abundant food and clothes, anil while 
the canoes went flying down the stream with 
speed accelerated in the joy of deliverance, 
the two men related their pitiful tale. Left 
in destitution of food and clothing, they had 
sustained life by an occasional beaver or a piece 
of horse meat given by the Indians, whcj, 
seemingly possessed of a superstitious fear, 
dared not molest them. With rare heroism 
and self-abnegation, Crooks remained by the 
side of John Day until he was sufficiently re- 
cuperated to travel. Then, abandoned by 
three of the Canadians, they had plodded on 
amid Blue mountain snows, subsisting on 
roots and skins. In the last of March, hav- 
ing left the other Canadian exhausted at a 
Shoshone lodge. Crooks and Day pressed on 
through a last mountain ridge and found them- 
selves in the fair and fertile plain of the Walla 
Wallas. 

Here they were relieved by the kindness 
which marked the intercourse of those Indians 
with the whites. Fed and clothed they contin- 
ued down the river with lightened hearts, only 
to find at the dalles that there are differences 
in Indians as well as whites, for there the 
Eneeshurs, or Wishrams. as Irving calls them, 
first tlisarming suspicion by a frieniUy exterior. 
perfidiously robbed them of the faithful ritles 
which thus far in all their distress they had 
never yet lost sight of. and. stripping them, 
drove them out. More wretched than ever 
they now turned toward friendly Walla ^\'alla. 
And just as they were striking inland they 
saw the rescuing boats. So with added grati- 
tude they all paddled away for Astoria. But' 
poor Day never recovered. In an insane frenzy 



he tried to kill himself. Prevented from thia 
he soon pined away and died. The barren 
and bluffy shores of John Day river possess 
an added interest as we recall the melancholy 
story of the brave hunter who first explored 
them. The four Canadians were afterward 
fountl alive, though destitute, among the Sho- 
shones. 

The limits of this work forbid us to en- 
large upon the subsequent fortunes of the 
great Pacific Fur Company's enterprise. We 
could hardly do justice, however, to the heroic 
age of Oregon history without a few addi- 
tional words about the fur business and a 
brief description of that most dramatic event 
in all our early history, the destruction of the 
Toncpiin. 

Astor seems to have designed that Astoria 
should be the central depot of trade and sup- 
plies; that from it parties should radiate by 
land and river, and trade with the Indians for 
furs as well as fit out trapping parties of their 
own ; that from Astoria, as headquarters, 
should proceed the annual supply ship (from 
New York) on fur trading trips to the bays 
and ports north of the Columbia : and that 
those supply ships having filled up partially 
on those trips should complete their lading at 
Astoria. Then away for China, the great 
market for furs at that time. In China the 
emptied vessel should reload with nankeens 
and teas and silks wherewith to clothe and 
exhilarate the fair inhabitants of New York. 
Two years would pass in completing this vast 
commercial "rounding up." For the still fur- 
ther enlargement of his business, Mr. Astor 
had also made arrangements to supply the 
Russian posts at New Archangel. He wished 
to do this partly for the profits accruing 
therein and partly to shut off competition in 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



29 



his own territory. This last he could accom- 
pHsh tlirough that semi-partnership with the 
Russians in furnishing" tliem supplies. 

There were at that time three especially 
valual)le fur-producing animals found in vast 
numbers in this country. Tlie first, the bea- 
ver, was found in all the interior valleys, the 
Willamette country, as was afterward found, 
being pre-eminent in this respect. The two 
others, the sea otter and seal, were found on 
the coast. The sea otter fur was the most 
valuable. Its velvety smoothness and glossy 
l)lackness rendered it first in the markets of 
the world of all furs from the temperate zones 
of Xorth America, and inferior only to the 
ermine and sable and possibly the fiery fox 
of the far north. 

The profits of the fur trade were such as 
miglit well entice daring and avarice to run 
the gauntlet of icebergs, starvation, ferocious 
savages and stormy seas. The profits of a 
single voyage might liquidate even the enor- 
mous cost of the outfit. For instance, Ross, 
one of the clerks of Astor's company, and 
located at Okanogan, relates that one morn- 
ing before breakfast he bought of Indians one 
hundred and ten beaver skins at the rate of 
fi\-e leaves of tobacco per skin. Afterward a 
yard of cotton cloth, worth, say, ten cents, 
purchased twenty-five beaver skins, worth in 
New York $5 apiece. For four fathoms of 
blue beads, worth, perhaps, a dollar, Lewis 
and Clark obtained a sea otter skin, the mar- 
ket price of which varied from $45 to $60. 
Ross -notes in another place that for $165 in 
trinkets, cloth, etc., he purchased peltries 
worth in the Canton market $11,250. In- 
deed, even the ill-fated voyages of Mr. As-- 
tor's partners proved that a cargo worth 
$25,000 in New York might be expected to 
be replaced in two years by one worth a quar- 



ter of a million, a profit of a thousand per 
cent. We cannot wonder, then, at the eager 
enterprise and fierce, S(jmetimes bloody, com- 
petition of the fur traders. 

With this outline of the business awaiting 
the Tonquin, let us pursue her fortunes to 
their terrible conclusion. 

A Frenchman, Franchere by name, one of 
the Astoria clerks, is the chief authority for 
the story. Irving seems to have taken some 
poetic license with this account. According 
to him, with a total force of twenty-three and 
an Indian of the Chehalis tribe called Lama- 
zee, for interpreter, the Tonquin entered the 
harbor of Neweetee. Franchere calls the In- 
dian Lamanse, and the harbor, he says, the 
Indian called Newity. We shall probably be 
safe in following Bancroft and suppose tha 
place to have been Nootka. Nootka sound, 
on the west side of Vancouver's island, has 
been referred to on a previous page as a bad 
place for the traders. In 1803 the ship Bos- 
ton and all her crew but two had been de- 
stroyed there. 

But it is well worth noting that these In- 
dians, like all others on the coast, were dis- 
posed at first to be frientlly, and only the in- 
dignities and \'iolence of traders transformed 
their pacific disposition to one of sullen treach- 
ery. Captain Thorn had been repeatedly and 
urgently warned by Mr. Astor and his asso- 
ciates against trusting to the Indians. One 
standing rule was that nut more than four 
or five should be allowed on the deck at once. 
But the choleric Thorn treated with equal con- 
tempt the suggestions of caution and savage 
hucksters. A great quantity of the finest kind 
of sea otter skins had been brought on deck 
and to all appearance a most lucrative and am- 
icable trade was before them. But twenty 
years of traffic with the whites and a long 



30 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



•course of instruction from the diplomatic and 
.successful chief Maquinna had rendered the 
Nootka Indians less pliable and less innocent 
than Thorn expected. His small stock of pa- 
tience was soon exhausted. At one cunning 
and leering old chief, who seemed to be urg- 
ing the others to hold out for higher prices, 
the captain soon began to scowl with special 
rage. But the oily visage was scowl-proof, 
-and the impatient sailor had the mortification 
to see that he was likely to be out-Jewed by 
one of those dirty and despised redskins. He 
-could stand it no longer. In his most impres- 
sive and naval manner he bids the Indians to 
leave. But the obnoxious chieftain stands mo- 
tionless, a perfect statue of savage impudence. 
All sense and judgment \anished from the 
-captain's mind. Seizing him by the hair he 
propelled him rapidly toward the ship-ladder. 
Then, with a convenient bundle of furs, 
snatched up furiously, he emphasized the 
•chieftain's exit. Xor is it likely that he spared 
a liberal application of boot leather to tlie most 
accessible part of the savage trader's anatomy. 
Instantly, as if by magic, the Indians left the 
ship. In place of the babel of jabbering 
traffickers were only the hair-brained captain 
and his astonished and silent crew. ^Nlr. Mc- 
Kay, the partner on board, was very indignant 
when, on returning from a short trip ashore, 
he learned of the untimely cessation of trade. 
He assured Captain Thorn that he had not 
only spoiled their business but had endangered 
all their lives. He therefore urged making 
sail from the place at once. The Chehalis In- 
dian, Lamanse, also enforced jMcKay's wish, 
asserting that further intercourse with the In- 
dians could result only in disaster. But the 
stubborn captain would listen to no advice. 
So long as he had a knife or a handspike they 
needn't try to scare him into running before a 



lot of naked redskins. The night passed in 
(piiet. Early the next morning a number of 
Indians, demure and peaceable as can be imag- 
ined, paddled alongside. Bundles of furs held 
aloft signified their wish to trade. In great 
triumph Captain Thorn pointed out to McKay 
the successful issue of his discipline. "That 
is the way to treat them," he said; "just show 
them that you are not afraid and they will 
behave themelves." The Indians were very 
respectful and exchanged their furs for what- 
e\er was offered. 

Pretty soon another large boat load, well 
supplied with the choicest peltries, asked per- 
mission to go aboard. The now good natured 
and self-satisfied skipper gladly complied. 
Then another canoe, and a fourth, and a fifth 
disgorged a perfect horde on board. But some 
of the more watchful sailors noticed with alarm 
that contrary to custom, no women left the 
canoes, and that certain of the fur bundles the 
savages would not sell at any price, while as 
to others they were perfectly indifferent. Pret- 
ty soon it was noticed that, moving as if by ac- 
cident, the Indians had somehow become 
massed at all the assailable points of the vessel. 
Even Captain Thorn was startled when this 
fact became unmistakable. But putting a bold 
front upon his sudden fear, he gave the order 
to up anchor and man the top-mast, preparatory 
to sailing. He then cHxlered the Indians to re- 
turn to their boats. With a scarce perceptible 
flush darkening their listless faces, they picked 
up their remaining bundles and started for the 
ladder. As they went, their cat-like tread 
scarce audible even in the oppressive stillness 
their knotted fingers stole into their bundles. 
Out again like a flash and in them long knives 
and cruel bludgeons ! 

In an instant the wild war-yell broke the 
awful silence. And then the peaceful Ton- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



31 



(|uin's deck saw a slaughter grim and pitiless. 
Lewis, the clerk, and McKay were almost 
instantly dispatched. Then a crowd with 
fiendish triumph set upon the captain, hent 
on evening up at once the old score. 
The brawny frame and iron will of the 
brave, though foolhardy old salt, made him 
a dangerous object of attack. And not until 
a half dozen of his assailants had measured 
their breeding lengths on the slippery deck did 
he succumb. Then he was hacked to pieces 
with savage glee. Meanwhile four sailors, the 
only survivors, besides the interpreter, Lamanse, 
from whom the whole stgry is told, having 
gained access to the hold, began firing on the 
triumphant Indians. And with such effect did 
they work that the whole throng left the ship 
in haste and sought the shore. Lamanse, mean- 
while, was spared, but held in captivity for 
two years. The next day the four surviving 
sailors attempted to put to sea in a small boat, 
but were pursuetl and probably miu^dered by the 
Indians. And then, like a band of buzzards 
circling around a carcass, the Indian canoes 
began to cluster around the deserted ship. 

The night had been spent in savage mirth, 
and now in prospect of the rifling of an en- 
tire ship their joy knew no bounds. All was 
silent. The hideous tumult of the day before 
was succeeded by an equally hideous calm. 
Cautiously at first, then emboldened by the 
utter lifelessness, in throngs the Indians clamb- 
ered to the deck. Their instinctive fears of 
strategem were soon lost in gloating over the 
disfigured forms of their vanquished foes, and 
in rifling the store-houses of the ship. Arrayed 
in gaudy blankets and adorned with multiplied 
strands of beads, thcv strutted proudly over 
the deck. Five hundred men, women and chil- 
dren now swarmed the ship. 

Suddenly, with an awful crack, crash and 



boom, the luckless Tonquin with all its loatl 
of living and dead is flung in fragments around 
the sea. Her powder magazine had imitated 
Samson auKing the Phillistines, and she had 
made one common ruin of herself and her ene- 
mies in the very scene of their triumph. Dis- 
membered bodies, fragments of legs and arms, 
and spattered brains, stained and darkened the 
peaceful water far and wide. According to 
Lamanse, as quoted by Franchere, two hundred 
Indians were thus destroyed. Franchere also 
says that no one knows who blew up the ship 
though he thinks it most likely that the four 
sailors left a slow train on board when thev 
abandoned her. Irving most thrillingly de- 
scribes Lewis as having been wounded, and 
remaining on board after the four survivors 
had gone, for the purpose of enticing the sav- 
ages on board and then letting off the train so 
as to destroy himself and them in one final and 
awful retribution. Bancroft, however, find- 
ing no warrant for this in the narrative of 
Franchere, the only known authority, does not 
hesitate to accuse Irving of fabricating it. 

^^^^ate\■er may have been the details, the 
general fact, with its horrible results to both 
whites and natives, rapidly spread abroad. Ere 
long it began to be whispered with bated breath 
among the Chinooks around Astoria. Then it 
reached the ears of the traders there. At first 
entirely disbelieved, it began to be painfully 
sure, after the lapse of months, and no Ton- 
quin in sight, that there must be something in 
it. The floating fragments of stor\- finally as- 
sumed an accepted form, though not until the 
reappearance of Lamanse, two years after the 
e\'ent, was it fully understood. 

A more extended narration of that absorb- 
ingly interesting era of disco\-ery, exploration, 
and beginnings of trade, would lead us beyond 
•the jiurpose of this work. We desire rather to 



32 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



present a picture of our heroic age sufficiently 
full to make plain the steps of our subsecjuent 
evolution. The glimpses into our earliest his- 
tory already given indicate to us something of 
the stages of our progress as a civilized Ameri- 
can state. Exploration followed discovery; 
trade, exploration; settlement, trade. Develop- 
ment is now treading on the pathway of settle- 
ment. We have seen before our very eyes in 
the close of the nineteenth century, this devel- 
opment assume a new form. The genius of our 
railroad age has realized the dream of the old 
navigators, and has created from rails of steel 
the Strait of Anian. The northwest passage 
has been found, but it is dry land instead of 
water. And not alone have we put a north- 
west passage through our own land, but we 
have extended our hands into the Pacific ocean 
for more land. Great already, our territory, 
by the events of the past few years, has become 
larger, and our international influence vastly 
wider. Our nation is entering now, with this 
new century, upon an epoch of international 
power which will transcend the previous epoch 
as much as that transcends the era of our old 
colonialism. 

In this new age of world development, our 
good state of Washington seems surely des- 
tined to bear a conspicuous part. The treasures 
of the Orient and of tropic islands, the golden 
sands of Alaska, and the industries of the 
great states of our own Union, find their ex- 
change point on Puget sound. Our queen city, 
Seattle, holds the keys to the golden caskets 
of Asia and of the north. 

In variety and quality of resources, in the 
thrift and energy of her population, and in the 
excellence of her system of education and social 
life, the state of Washington gives promise 
that she will prove adequate to the vast oppor- 



tunities which her situation has placed within 
her grasp. 

Standing thus on the threshold of a ma- 
terial development whose possibilities dazzle 
the imagination, we are in some danger of for- 
getting the small and feeble advances of the 
first era of American settlement in this land, 
we are apt to forget the heroic striving which 
planted homes here and there in the wilder- 
ness. 

In that epoch of the making of a state the 
county of Walla Walla bore no inconspicuous 
part. Containing the first settlement between 
the Cascades and the Rocky mountains, being 
the scene of more tragic and stirring events 
tlian an\- other community in this portion of 
Old Oregon, having for many years the largest 
population anywhere within the state, and in its 
later development possessing, in some respects, 
the highest results of industrj' and production 
to l)e found within the inland empire, Walla 
Walla county may justly be regarded as one 
of the foremost counties of the state, both from 
a historical and a present point of view. 

In the early history of Walla W'alja county 
we find much of the pathos and tragedy which 
have marked the settlement of most pioneer 
-Vmerican communities. In its present, with 
its unfolding industrial activity, we see a part 
of that great movement which we have already 
pointed out as marking the present epoch of 
our state. In its future we plainly read the 
fulfillment of the promise of growth which 
will outrun even the most eager imaginations 
of the present. 

^\'e invite therefore to the perusal of this 
history both the old-timer and the new-timer. 
The old-timer will traverse again some of the 
difficult or dangerous or amusing experiences of 
the past, and by opening his eyes now upon one 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



33 



scene, now upon another, he will comprehend Ijefore, and by contrasting what he reads with 

again something of the distance that he has what he sees about" him will more clearly un- 

traversed. The new-timer will learn by the derstand what it has taken to make Walla 

perusal of these pages things unknown to him Walla county. 



CHAPTER I. 



THE OREGON OUESTION. 



While it is not within the distinct province 
of this compilation to enter into a detailed 
consideration of the early history of the Pa- 
cific northwest, nor even of that section now in- 
cluded within the boundaries of the present 
state of Washington, it is still but consistent 
that brief resume be given of the more salient 
points which marked the opening of this now 
fruitful and opulent section of our national 
domain to the march of civilization, — an ad- 
vancement made under conditions and circum- 
stances which bespeak the restless energy, the 
fortitude and the inflexible determination of 
those who constituted the forerunners of the 
star of empire. 

To the "Oregon question" Dr. Barrows re- 
fers as the "struggle for possession," and cer- 
tain it is that diplomacy never met a severer 
test without recourse to arms than was repre- 
sented in the long drawn out disputations, the 
ambiguous concessions and the alert watchful- 
ness which marked the history of that eix)ch. 
Fortunate, indeed, was it that the independence 
of the republic, the genius of the true .Vmer- 
ican spirit, were eventually brought into high 
relief, saving to our national commonwealth 
the great and valua])le territory which was at 
that lime practically a terra liieogiiita. 

As has already been intimated, there has, 



perhaps, no question ever arisen that so nearly 
precipitated a war between the United States 
and Great Britain without the actual conflict 
of arms. The Oregon question was one that 
included all points of international diplomacy 
and negotiations between the United States and 
Great Britain regarding title to the northwest 
country, and pertaining particularly to the ter- 
ritory now included in the state of Washington, 
for the country north of the Columbia river 
was what the English crown particularly 
coveted. 

Prior to 1818 the Hudson's Bay Company, 
a powerful corporation holding charter from 
the British crown, the same having been 
granted by Charles 11, in 1670, invaded 
the Oregon territory, including what are 
now the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, 
and western Montana. The personnel of the 
invading force included hunters, traders 
and trappers, who proceeded to fortify their 
possessions with commercial and military 
establishments. While these aggressive move- 
ments were under way a few persons from 
the United States found their way into the 
territory, and their interposition eventually led 
to the discussion as to the ownershii) of the 
country. Our great statesmen of the day 
naturally had very inadequate conceptions of 



34 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COL'XTV. 



the value and iinportaiice of the territory in- 
volved in the discussion, and this tact was un- 
mistakalily indicated in tlieir expressions. 

In the earlv *40s the National Intelligencer 
gave utterance to the following statements, 
which will strike the reader of the present day 
as ludicrous in the extreme : "Of all the coun- 
tries upon the face of the earth Oregon is one 
of the least favored by heaven. It is almost as 
barren as Sahara, and quite as unhealthy as the 
Campagna of Italy." Contemplating even the 
productive wealth of Walla Walla county alone 
at the present time, it seems abnost impossible 
that oliicial and ix^pular judgment could even 
at that time have l>een so llagrantly in error. 
Fiu-ther. Senator Dayton, of Xew Jersey, from 
the depths of his conviction and high order of 
intelligence, did not hesitate to speak as fol- 
lows: "Ciod forbid that the time shouUI ever 
come when a state on the shores of the Fa- 
citic, with its interests and tendencies of trade 
all looking toward the .\siatic nations of the 
east, shall add its jarring claims to our already 
distracted and overburdened confederacy." It 
is beyond peradventure that the contuiental 
idea bad not as yet pervaded the judicial body 
of the national governnieiit. 

As farther indicating the attitude main- 
tained bv the leaders of .\merican thought and 
action at the time, we can not do Inciter than 
to offer an excerpt from statements made by 
that gifted and venerated statesman. Daniel 
Webster, who said: "What do we want of this 
vast, worthless area, this region cd savages 
anil wild beasts, of deserts, of shifting sands 
and whirlwinds of ilnst, of cactus and prair,ie 
dogs?: To what use could we ever hope to put 
these great deserts or these great nwuntain 
ranges. imi)enetrable and covered to their k\se 
with eternal snow? What can we ever hope 



to do with the western coast, a coast of three 
thousand miles, rock-bound, cheerless and un- 
in\iting, and not a harbor on it? What use 
have we for such a country? Mr. Fresident, 
I will never vote one cent from the public treas- 
ury to place the Facitic coast one inch nearer 
Boston than it is now." 

One other opinion, voiced by Senator Ben- 
ton, in 1825. may be. with undoubted propriety, 
incorporated at this juncture. What the re- 
sult of the advice of this astute man might 
have been if followed is dit^cult to conjecture 
at this end of the centivry period : "The ridge 
of the Rocky mountains may be named as a 
convenient, natural and everlasting lK>undary. 
Along this ridge the western limit of the Re- 
public should be drav.n. and the statue of 
tlie fabled god. Terminus, should hs erected 
on its highest peak, never to be thrown 
down." 

The significance of these expressions is un- 
mistakable, and still we can scarcely wonder- 
that they were uttered and promulgated, when 
we take into consideration the fact that nearly 
all information in regard to the country — and 
that of a most fragmentary and unreliable 
character — had been received through repre-- 
sentatives of tlie Hudson's Bay Company or 
through persons jnlhienced by them, either 
voluntarily or otherwise. The emissaries of 
tlie Hudson's Bay. Company had advisedly, aiid 
for selfish purposes, looking to the aggTandize-. 
nient of the corporation, represented the region 
as a. "Miasmatic wilderness, uninhabitable ex- 
cept, by savage beasts and more savage men." 
Tliis action was takgu in order to discourage 
the settlement of white people in the conntry, 
which accomplished they realized would ulti- 
mately interfere seriously with their lucrative 
fur traffic with the aborigines of tlie land. 



HISTOKV OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



35 



JOINT OCCUPANCV TKKATV A rRACTUA:. FI- 
ASCO. 

llolli (ircat r.ritain and llic L'uitcd States 
beiiii^' apparciuly unprepared for delinile aclinn, 
in iSiS a treaty of joint occupation was en- 
teral into, liv tlie terms antl provisions of 
w hich "Tlie northwest coast of America west- 
ward of the Stony mountains shall he open 
to the suhjccts of the two contracting powers, 
not to he construed to the prejudice of any 
claim which either of the high contracting 
parties may ha\-c to any part of said country." 
This treaty was extended indefinitely in 1827, 
with the pro\-ision lliat after 18,^8 either i)arly 
could abrogate it h)- giving to the other one 
year's notice. Under this somewhat ecpiivocal 
treaty the shrewd representatives of the Llud- 
son's Bay Company resorted to every conceiv- 
able strategy to i^revent immigration from the 
United States, and they succeeded in efifecting 
their designs to a large extent for a consider- 
able period of time. However, an increasing 
knowledge of the value of the country stim- 
ulated the indomitable frontiersmen to move 
westward, and, despite the despicable efforts 
and questionable methods of the Hudson's 
Bay Compau}- to arrest wagons, l)reak 
l^lowshares, freeze out settlers, and by a 
system of overland forts and seajjort sur\-eil- 
lance prevent e\-ery movement that tended to- 
ward the actual occupancy of the countr)-, a 
suiilicient number of .\mericans had effected 
settlement i)rior to 1844 to force ui)on the 
United States the question of title. In the 
year mentioned JNIr. Calhoun, then secretary of 
state, demanded of the British government a 
specific statement of its claims to the Oregon 
territory. This overture elicited from (Ireat 
Britain a reiteration of a claim already made 
in 18J4, namely: "That the boundary line be- 



tween the possessions of the two countries 
should be the forty-ninth parallel of north 
latitude to where it intersects the northeast- 
ern braneh of the Columbia river, then dowu 
tlie middle channel of that river to the sea." 
'ibis claim, if allowed, would ha\e given Great 
Britain not only British Columbia but also the 
greater portion of the state of Washington. 
Great Britain based its claim upon the explora- 
tion of the Columbia Ijy Vancouver after Gray 
ha<I discovered it, and upon the occupancy of 
the country h}- the I Unison's Bay Com[)any for 
traffic in furs. 

The United States rested its claim on Cap- 
tain Gray's disco\-ery of the Columbia river, 
on the Louisiana purchase, on the explorations 
of Lewis and Clark, tracing the Columljia 
from its source to its mouth, on ihe settlement 
of Astoria, on the treaty with Spain in 1819 
and on the treaty with Mexico in 1828. Mr. 
Calhoun rejected the claim of Great Britain and 
proposed the forty-ninth parallel from the 
Rockies to the sea as the division between the 
two countries. The Democratic convention 
of 1S44 declared for the annexation of Te.xas 
and also "that our title to the Oregon territory 
was clear and unquestionable, and that no part 
of the same should be ceded to Great Britain." 
The shibboleth of the Democratic party during 
that campaign, relative to the Oregon question. 
was "fifty-four forty, or fight." An effort was 
made to abrogate the treaty of 1S27, and it 
seemed for a time that war between Great 
Britain and the United States was inevitable. 
The proposal of the llritish minister, INIr. Pack- 
enhain, to submit the cpiestion in dispute to 
arbitration was respectfully declined, and the 
ultimate result of the negotiations was the 
treaty of 1846, whereby the forty-ninth paral- 
lel originally pro]»sed by Mr. Calhoun was ac- 
cepted by Great Britain as the Ixnuulary 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



between the two countries. By the terms of 
tlie treaty provision was made that when the 
boundary line reached the waters of the Pa- 
cific coast it should run down the middle of 
the channel which separates the continent from 
Vancouver island, and thence soutlierly through 
the same channel and Fuca straits to the sea. 
No map or chart being attached to the treaty, 
according to which the line could be drawn, a 
vexatious controversy arose which came \ery 
near involving the two countries in war. The 
contention related to the location of the middle 
of the channel which separates the continent 
from Vancouver island. Great Britain insist- 
ed that it was in the Rosario straits or chan- 
nel, while the United States contended that it 
was in the Canal de Haro. Each iiarty ad- 
hered to its position through a protracted and 
vehement correspondence upnn the subject. 
Between these channels was an area of about 
four hundred square miles, including several 
prominent islands, comprising land area of 
about one hundred and seventy square miles. 
which was the bone of contention on the part 
of the two nations involved. 

After a prolonged debate of the question, 
each party determined to have its own way; 
by the treaty of Washington in 1871 it was 
agreed that Emperor William of Germany, as 
arbitrator, should decide which of the two 
claims was most in accord with the treatv of 



1846. He decided in favor of our claim, thus 
giving to the United States an undisputed 
claim to the island of San Juan and the other 
islands around it. Although the Hudson's 
Bay Company took possession of all the coun- 
try west of the Rocky mountains and on both 
sides of the Columbia river, yet Great Britain 
did not assert possession of that part of the 
country now constituting the state of Oregon. 
It is evident, however, that if the title was 
good north, it was equally good south of the 
river. Furthermore, if the title of the United 
States was good as to what is now \\ashing- 
ton and Oregon, why not equally good for all 
the territory, including British Columbia. 
Careful and candid students of the situation 
have contended that the proposition of Calhoun 
in 1844 to surrender to Great Britain all the ter- 
ritory north of the forty-ninth parallel of north 
latitude was made in the interest of slavery. 
The less there was of this territory, the less 
would be the number of free states to be ailmit- 
tetl to the Union. If he had not committed our 
goxernment to such an unfortunate, and what 
some have designated as "disgraceful." offer, 
it is quite probable that British Columbia would 
be to-day an integral part of the United States, 
a condition that many would consider desirable 
in view of the growing importance of that 
section. 



CHAPTER 11. 



THE INCEPTION OF AMERICAN HISTORY IN WASHINGTON. 



It is a well authenticated fact that, aside 
from missionaries, the first American to set- 
tle north of the Columbia river, or in any of 
the territory now comprising the state of Wash- 
ington, was Michael T. Simmons, who emi- 
grated to Oregon in 1844 and spent the first 
winter at Fort Vancouver. He is described as 
a stalwart Kentuckian, of splendid physique, 
great endurance and resolute mind, possessing 
all the qualifications of a successful pioneer. 
His stay at the fort enabled him to understand 
the disposition of the officials of thfe Hudson's 
Bay Company relative to American occupation 
of the northern country. He was doubtless 
convinced that it was their purpose to prevent, 
if possible, American settlement in that region. 
The desire to exclude American settlement 
was an evidence of the value of the country. 
This, with his patriotic spirit, prompted Mr. 
Simmons to make an investigation and dis- 
cover all he could about the region and its pros- 
pects. An attempt to explore the dense wilder- 
ness between the Columliia river and Puget 
sound was made by him and a few of his com- 
panions during the winter. In the summer of 
1845 Mr. Simmons made an extensive explora- 
tion of Puget sound, and was deeply impressed 
with the commercial value of the country. He 
selected a site for his future home at the head 
of Budd's Inlet, which is the most soiUliern 
extension, at the falls of the Des Chutes river. 
In the fall, he and others, seven in all, located 
on that spot, beginning the history of the per- 



manent settlement of Washington by Ameri- 
cans. It was an heroic attempt, and they were 
brave men who made it. 

Thev were among savages who gave no 
special evidence of hospitality, and they were 
separated from the nearest white settlers by 
one hundred and fifty miles of dense forests. 
But few were added to their number during 
the first vear. Within two years a sawmill was 
built at the falls of the Des Chutes. In 1848 
a few immigrants settled along the Cowlitz 
river. Thomas W. Glasgow explored Puget 
sound as far north as Whidby island, where 
he took a claim, being soon joined by several 
families. But the unfriendly attitude of the 
Indians necessitated the abandonment of their 
claims. 

Several things retarded the progress of the 
occupation of this region, among them Ijeing 
its isolation, the discovery of gold in California, 
and the brutal massacre of Dr. \\'hitman and 
others at Waiilatpu. The scattered families 
spent several years amid great perils, which 
could not have been endured by people of less 
braverv. They found the Indians, as a rule, 
hostile and even threatening their extermina- 
tion, but they met the insolence of the red men 
with herofc defiance. • This, with the timely 
and decisive measures of Governor Lane, and 
the building of Fort Steilacoom, with the aid 
of some friendly Indians, saved them during 
these critical years and made .American occu- 
pation permanent. 



38 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



About the year 1850 many who Iiad left 
for California at the outset of the gold ex- 
citement returned. Mr. Simmons had been in 
San Francisco and had brought with him a 
cargo of merchandise. \Vith this Ijasis he 
opened a store at Olynipia, which was the he- 
ginning of the first town in Washington. Set- 
tlements began to extend, and Steilacoom came 
into existence, and soon Port Townsend. In 
185 1 a company of resolute pioneers, after 
mucli exploration, selected claims on Elliott 
bay. .Among these hardy men were some who 
exerted a potent influence during the formative 
periods of territory and state, — Terry, Denny 
and others. 

The first attempt to establish a city on 
Elliott bay was at Alki Point. The ambition 
and expectation of the founders are indicated 
in the name which they gave to their embryonic 
municipality, — Xew \'nrk. Some of them 
soon removed to the east side of the bay. and 
the information which they received from the 
Indians regarding the country, especially rela- 
tive to the accessibility of the region east of 
the Cascades, led them to establish a rival city. 
They gave it the name of the chief, Seattle. 
Thus the name of an honored, true and dig- 
nified Indian chieftain has been perpetuated. 

After this settlements extended with in- 
creasing rapidity. Many jieople of extraor- 
dinary intelligence and enterprise and of ster- 
ling character came into the country. 

We soon find milling and coal-mining op- 
erations beginning- and within a few years 
the former develops to immense proportions. 
At the same time the country to' the south 
is developing — the lower Chehalis valley, and 
the Cowlitz valley down as far as the Coluiii- 
bia river. Attempts were made to establish 
great cities. So, at the close of 185 ^, we find 
in what was then kn(,wn as northern Oregon, 



settlements from the Cnlumbia river to British 
Columbia and from the Cascade mountains to 
the Pacific coast, in this territory we find the 
towns of Olympia, \'ancouver, Steilacoom, Se- 
attle and Port Townsend, with an aggregate 
population of three thousand. 

A resume of historical facts will lead us 
to consider briefly the circumstances and events 
leading to and connected with the 

DIVISIOX OF TERRITORY. 

Some of the earliest settlers north of the 
Columbia probably cherished the laudable am- 
bition of being the founders of a state. They 
were men of vision, and planned great things. 
We find that active measures looking toward 
separate political existence from Oregon were 
inaugurated as early as the 4th of July, 1851. 
Independence day was celebrated at Olympia 
l)y those who had settled around the head of 
Puget sound. Mr. J. B. Chapman, who was 
the orator of the day, took for his theme "The 
Future State of Columbia," and treated it in 
an eliH|uent and stirring manner. The orator 
struck a sympathetic chord in the hearts of his 
hearers, and the appeal tor prompt action found 
a ready response. During the day a committee 
on resolutions was appointed, and in rendering 
their report they recnmniended that representa- 
tives of all the districts north of the Colum- 
bia river meet in convention at Cowlitz Land- 
ing, for the purpose, as expressed, "of taking 
into careful consideration the peculiar position 
of the northern ])ortion of the territorv of Ore- 
gon, its wants, the best method of supplving- 
these wants, and the propriety of an earlv ap- 
peal to congress for a division of the terri- 
tory." 

The recmumendation being iri accordance- 
with the will nf the people, the various districts 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



39 



responded and a convention was held on the 
day appointed, with twenty-six delegates pres- 
ent. As a result of the deliberations of said 
convention, a memorial to congress on the sub- 
ject of division was adopted. The Oregon 
delegate to the United States congress was 
instructed to act in accordance with the memo- 
rial, and congress was petitioned t(.i construct 
certain roads necessary for the puljlic good, 
also to extend to the new territory the bene- 
fits of the Oregon land law. For some reason 
congress took no action on the memorial, and 
consequently the enthusiasm for territorial 
segregation lost its ardor for a season. But 
the agitation did not cease, for at Olympia was 
established a paper which had that for its ob- 
ject. 

Under the lead of this paper, called the 
ColumJjian, another convention was planned, 
the same being held at Monticello, on the 25th 
of October,, 1S52. There were present forty- 
four representative citizens, and the action was 
in harmony with that of the previous con\-en- 
tion. Cogent reasons were prepared and sub- 
mitted to General Lane, the delegate to con- 
gress, for the organization of a new territory. 
The Oregon legislature, meeting a few days 
afterward, exiiibited an unusually magnani- 
mous spirit by acting in harmony with the de- 
sires of the convention. General Lane acted 
without delay in introducing the measure to 
congress, and on February 10, 1853, it passed 
by a vote of one hundred and twenty-eight 
to twenty-nine. The name Washington was, 
however, substituted for Columbia. The bill 
passed the senate on the second day of March, 
at which time the population of the new ter- 
ritory was somewhat less than four thousand. 
President Pierce appointed Isaac Ingalls Ste- 
vens, of ]\Lnssachusetts, as governor. IJe was 
a man eminently fitted for the position. Other 



official appointments were as follows: C. H. 
■\LiS(jn, of Rhode Island, secretary; Edward 
Lander, of Indiana, chief ju.stice; John R. 
Miller, of Ohio, and Victor Monroe, of Ken- 
tucky, associate justices; and J. S. Clendenin, 
of Louisiana, United States district at- 
torney. 

The act which created the territory gave 
to it an area more than twice as great as was 
asked for in the memorial, its boundaries be- 
ing defined as follows : "All that portion of 
Oregon territory lying and being south of the 
forty-ninth degree of north latitude, and north 
of the middle of the main channel of the Co- 
lumbia river, from its mouth to where the 
forty-sixth degree of north latitude crosses 
said river near Fort Walla Walla, thence with 
said forty-sixth degree of latitude to the sum- 
mit of tlie Rocky mountains." This included 
all of the state of Washington as it now stands 
and also a portion of the present states of Idaho 
and Montana. 

About the last of November Governor 
Stevens arrived, and issued a proclamation or- 
ganizing the government of the territory and 
designating the 30th for the election of a dele- 
gate to congress and of members of the ter- 
rit(jrial legislature, and h'ebruary for the con- 
vening of said legislature. Good material for 
the offices was not wanting, nor a sulticient 
number ambitious to fill them. Columlnis Lan- 
caster, of Clarke county, was electeil delegate 
to congress. Although a worthy man in many 
rcs])ects, he did not prove to be tpialified for the 
position at such a critical time. Men of fair 
abilities were elected as legislators, and ac- 
complished their mission creditably. The ma- 
terial jirogress of the territory was slow for 
several years. The Cascade uDuntains were a 
great barrier to the extension of settlements 
eastward. 



CHAPTER III. 



THE MISSIONS OF WALLA WALLA AND THE WHITMAN MASSACRE. 



Few of tlie pioneer lands of tlie west have 
lacked their heroes. Few have lacked their 
martyrs. It has been the work of some to find 
the passes of the mountains, to blaze trails 
through the wilderness, to find the river cross- 
ings. Others have found it their task to dis- 
cover the materials and the routes of industrj' 
and commerce. Others vet asrain have had the 
grim destiny of meeting, fighting, killing, or 
being killed by the unfortunate natives. Still 
others, very few in comparison, assumed the 
yet harder, and. in most minds, the thankless 
duty of imparting the ideas of Christianity and 
civilization to those poor remnants of a doomed 
race. ^lost important of all, on yet others has 
l)een laid the weightiest task, that of forming- 
national political policies and managing the in- 
ternational questions arising out of the struggle 
for ix)ssession. 

Any one of the various lines of duty would 
ha\e been thought hard enough. \\'e find the 
strange spectacle in the annals of Walla \\'alla 
of one man performing them all. 

This man was Marcus Whitman. The pre- 
eminent services of this man have begun to 
receive a tardy recognition, and in the west 
at least he is now acknowledged as without 
a peer in the importance of his work as the 
foundation builder of Americanism in Oregon. 
Properly to understand the history of the 
Whitman mission and the massacre, and the 
events growing out of these in their bearing on 
the history of W'alla W'alla and the Oregon 



country, we must turn back the pages of history 
and take our station in the year 1832. In that 
year a strange thing occurred. Four Flathead 
Indians came from what is now Idaho to St. 
Louis, seeking the White ]\Ian's "Book of 
Life," of which they had heard some vague 
"report from some trappers or explorers in their 
own land. Two years were spent by them on 
their strange quest, years of suffering, danger 
and doubt. 

When at last they reached St. Louis they 
could not find words with which to make 
known their wants, and for a long time they 
wandered, tongue-tied, through the streets. 
Finally coming under the notice of Governor 
Clark, they were sent to a Catholic priest, and 
from him the story reached the country. It pro- 
duced "a profound interest among the churches; 
seeming to them a veritable Macedonian cry. 
Two missions were organized for the Oregon 
Indians, one by the Methodists under Jason 
Lee in the Willamette valley in 1834. The fol- 
lowing year the American Board sent Dr. 
Marcus Whitman of Rushville, New York, 
and Dr. Samuel Parker of Ithaca, New York, 
to examine the field and report on the condi- 
tions for missionary work. 

Having reached Green river, the general 
rendezvous of the trappers, it was decided that 
Dr. Parker should continue his journey to the 
Pacific and Dr. Whitman should return east 
anil make ready to come back and locate some- 
where in Oregon Territory. Accordingly in 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



41 



the early spring of 1836. in company witii his 
newly made bride, Narcissa (Prentice) Whit- 
man, and Rev. H. H. Spalding and wife. Dr. 
Whitman started across the plains. From the 
Loup Fork of Platte river in Green ri\-er the 
missionarv party traveled with the fur com- 
pany's annual detachment, but at the latter 
point they committed their fortunes and lives 
to a body of Nez Perce Indians whu had come 
to meet them. The letters and journals of Mrs. 
Whitman and Mrs. Spalding give us some 
conception of the heroic fortitude with wdiich 
they met the hardships and dangers of that 
unprecedented bridal journey of three th(jusand 
miles across the American wilderness. Reach- 
ing Fort Walla Walla, now Wallula, on Sep- 
tember I, 1836. and being in the general vi- 
cinity of the region where they had expected 
to laljor, it became apparent that they would 
need to establish friendly relations with the 
Hudson's Bay Company, the great autocrats of 
the Columbia valley. Accordingly they made 
the additional journey by Ijoat to Vancouver, 
where Dr. McLoughlin, a true-liorn king of 
men, received them with tlie kindly courtesy 
which always characterized his treatment of 
those who came to him. By his advice Whit- 
man was established at Waiilalpu, si.x miles 
west of the present Walla Walla. 

We must pass rapidly over the events of the 
ne.xt few years. Suffice it to say that they 
were years of great activity on the ])art of the 
missionaries. Travelers who visited the sta- 
tion expressed their wonder at the amount ac- 
complished l)y Dr. Whitman. 

He had brought over two hundred acres 
of land under cultivation, had built several 
large buildings, had put into running order a 
.small grist mill run by a water ])o\ver from 
Mill creek, had also a small saw-mill on Mill 
creek about fourteen miles above the present 



site of Walla Walla, had gathered together a 
large number of Indian children for instruction, 
and with all this was acting as physician to all 
the whites in the country and to many of the 
Indians. 

He was a keen observer of the international 
politics wdiich gathered about Oregon and could 
not fail to see that his plans were necessarily 
antagonistic to those of the great English fur 
company, whose Briarean arms reached to all 
parts of the land and wdiose evident and in fact 
necessary purpose was to keep the country in 
a state of savagery. Although the personal re- 
lations between Dr. Whitman and Dr. Mc- 
Loughlin were of the pleasantest sort, each was 
keen enough to see that success for the one 
meant defeat for the other. 

Busy as Whitman was with the multifari- 
ous duties which he had loaded upon himself, 
he became more and more absorbed in the vital 
question as to who was going to own this coun- 
try. Among a number of Americans coming 
to Oregon in 1842. was A. L. Lovejoy, a man 
of intelligence and force, who informed Whit- 
man of the pending Webster-Ashburton treaty 
between England and this country, the effect 
of which many Americans thought would be 
detrimental to their country. 

The more Whitiu;in thought of it the more 
he became possessed of the idea that it was his 
l)atriotic duty to go to Washington and inform 
the authorities of the nature of this country 
and its value, and assist the emigrants of the 
next year to cross the plains and mountains on 
their way to OregoiT. That was the primary 
idea of that great winter ride in 1842-3. made 
by Whitman, Lovejoy accompanying as far as 
Fort Bent. The details of that grand, heroic 
ride, with the momentous results hinging upon 
it and the magnificent success achieved, have 
been man\- times narrated, have been discussed, 



42 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



hotly disputed, exaggerated and belittled, and 
yet out of the general turmoil certain historical 
facts may be regardetl as definitely established. 
First, it is now conceded by all that Whitman's 
idea was "to save Oregon to the United 
States." 

Many writers have questioned this in the 
past. One writer (we are glad to say but 
one), Mrs. F. V. Fuller, has the unenviable 
distinction of having attributed low and sordid 
motives to the hero, believing that his oI)ject 
mainly was to secure the continuance of the 
mission as a source of profit to himself. She 
even at one time went so far as to suggest 
a doubt whether Whitman was ever in Wash- 
ington at all. Although those to whom Whit- 
man had related his experiences, as well as men 
who actually recalled seeing him in Washing- 
ton, had given their testimony, yet these per- 
sistent efl:'orts to depreciate him had produced 
a good deal of effect in the public mind. It 
was therefore a matter of profound interest 
when in 1891 there was made in the archives 
of the War department an extraordinary dis- 
covery. This was a letter from Dr. Whitman 
himself to the department, proposing a l)ill for 
the establishment of a line of forts from the 
Kansas river to the Willamette This entire 
letter and proposed bill appeared in the Walla 
Walla L'nion-Journal of .\ugust 15, 1891. A 
perusal of it will convince any one that Whit- 
man's aim in his tremendmis exertions was 
political, as well as that he liad all the essential 
elements of statesmanship. His aspersers have 
scarcely "peeped'' since the discovery of this 
letter. The fpicstion of "Why Whitman went 
east" has ceased to be debatable. We incor- 
porate here the beginning and closing of this 
letter, adding only that reference to the Union- 
Journal referred to. or to Dr. (). W. Xixon's 
book, "tb)\v Marcus Whitman .Sas'ed Oregon," 



will gi\e to liistorical students this final word 
on the controversy. 

To the Hon. James 'SI. Porter, Secretary of 
War. 

Sir : — In compliance with the request you 
did me the honor to make last winter while at 
Wasliington, I herewith transmit to you the 
synopsis of a bill, which, if it could be adopted, 
would according to my experience and observa- 
tion prove highly conducive to the best in- 
terests of the United States generally ; to Ore- 
gon, where I have resided for more than seven 
years as a missionary, and to the Indian tribes 
that inhabit the intermediate country. 

The government will now doubtless for the 
first time be apprised through you, and by 
means of this communication, of the immense 
migration of families to Oregon, which has 
taken place this year. I have since our inter- 
view been instrumental in piloting across the 
route described in the accompanying bill, and 
which is the only eligible wagon road, no less 

than families, consisting of one thousand 

persons of both sexes, with their wagons, 
amounting in all to more than one hundred 
and twenty, si.x hundred and ninety-four o.xen. 
anil seven hundred and seventy-three loose 
cattle. * * * * 

Your familiarity with the givernment pol- 
icy, duties and interest, renders it unnecessary 
for me to more than hint at the several olijects 
intended by the incli'sed l)ill. and any enlarge- 
ment upon the topics here suggested as in- 
ducements to its adoption would be quite su- 
i;erfluous, if not imiiertinent. The \-ery ex- 
istence of such a system as the one above 
recommended suggests the utility of postoftices 
and mail arrangements, which it is the wish of 
all who now live in Oregon to have granted 
them, and I need only add that contracts for 
this purpose will be readily taken at reasmiable 
rates for transporting the mail across from 
Missouri to the mouth of the Columbia in forty 
days, with fresh horses at each of the con- 
templated posts. The ruling policy proposed, 
regards the Indians as the police of the conn- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUxXTY. 



43- 



try, who are to be relied upon to keep the 
peace, not onl_v for tliemselves. 1)ut to repel 
lawless white men and prevent banditti, under 
the solitary guidance of the su]ierintendent of 
the several posts, aided by a well directed sys- 
tem to induce the punishment of crime. It will 
only be after the failure of these means to 
procure the deliver^' or punishment of \'iolent, 
lawless and savage acts of aggression, that a 
band or tribe should be regarded as conspira- 
tors against the peace, or punished accordingly 
by force of arms. 

Hoping that these suggestions may meet 
your approbation, and conduce to the future 
interests of our growing country, I have the 
honor to be, Honorable Sir, your obedient 
servant, 

Marcus Whitman. 

The second fact established in regard to 
\\'hitman's work is that he did produce a pro- 
found inHuence on the minds of President 
Tyler and Secretary Webster and others in 
authority, and as a result, other influences, 
]ierhaps, also reaching them, our government 
took an entirely new stand and began to raise 
the demand of "Fifty-four forty." 

A third fact is that he published broadcast 
in the spring of 1843, liis intention to return 
and pilot the train across the mountains. It 
is also true that many immigrants, though by 
no means all, were induced to come by his pres- 
ence and representations. 

A fourth fact is that he triumphantly suc- 
ceeded in conducting a thousand people, with 
wagons and cattle, to the promised land of 
Oregnn. The immigration of '43 was the 
deciding contest in the struggle for pos- 
session between England and the United 
States. The American home vanquished the 
English fur-trader. 

A fifth fact may be added to the effect 
that Whitman's station on the Walla Walla 
became the rallying point for Americans, with 



all their interests, between the Rocky Moun- 
tains and the Cascades. Waiilatpu was the 
eastern frontier of American settlement in Ore- 
gon. For though the mission posts of Lapwai 
and Tchimakain were actually farther east, 
they had no bearing on the political questiijn of 
the time. 

Such briefly summarizes the acknowledged 
facts in regard to Dr. Whitman and his work. 
As to the comparative value of. his services, 
as to the controverted questions of what some- 
have styled the "Whitman JMyth," this is not 
the place to speak. Suflice it to say that l)y 
the uniform testimony of liis contemporaries, 
as well as of the students of history. Whitman 
was one of the heroes of America and the chief 
factor in giving this "Valley of Many \\'aters" 
its high rank among the sacred places of our 
land. 

But Whitman's destiny was not yet ful- 
filled. The missionary had become the patriot.- 
the patriot had become the hero, the hero had 
become the statesman. Xow the statesman- 
must become the martyr. 

THE WHITMAN MASSACRE. 

After Whitman's return in 1S43 t'le In- 
dians had become restive and ugl_\-. They 
could form no conception of the exalted sen- 
timents which actuated the missionaries. They 
began to see in a rude way the logic of Amer- 
ican occupation. It meant a change in their 
whole method of life. It in-ijjlied farming, 
cattle-raising, houses, fi.xed and narrowed do- 
mains, instead of the hunting and wild life of 
their ancestral habits. They saw also the an- 
tagonism between the Americans and the Brit- 
ish, and inasmuch as the latter were the more 
disposed to maintain the existing condition of 
.savagery, the Indians generally inclined to 



44 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



sympathize with them. Dr. \\'hitman per- 
ceived tlie danger and tluring the summer of 
1847 he iiad in contemplation a removal to 
The Dalles. He liad arranged to purcliase the 
Methodist mission there and was planning to 
rem()\-e thither in the spring. In the meantime 
sinister influences were gathering around his 
devoted head, all unknown to him. His two 
principal enemies were Tamsuky. a Cayuse 
chief, and Joe Lewis, a renegade half-hrced 
who had wandered to the mission, had heen 
befriended by Whitman, and then with the 
inequity which seemed to be inherent in his 
detestable nature, became a prime mover in 
the murderous plot. 

During the summer of 1847. measles, in- 
troduced by immigrants. Ijecame epidemic 
among the Cayuses. Their native method of 
treating anything of a fe\-erous nature was to 
enter into a sweat ln)use. stripped of clothing, 
and remain there until thoroughly steamed, 
and then plunge naked and ]ierspiring into a 
cold stream. Death was the almost inevitable 
result. Whitman was faithful and unremitting 
in his ministrations, but many died. At this 
critical moment the wretch Lewis perceived 
that his oportunity had come. He made the 
Indians think that Whitman was poisoning 
them. He went so far as to affirm that he had 
heard a conversation between Spalding and 
Whitman as to what tlicy would do when tlie\' 
had got possession of the country. 

The Indians determined to make a test case 
of a sick woman, giving her some of Whit- 
man's medicine, and agreeing that if she died 
they would kill the missionaries. The woman 
died, and the plot came to a focus. 

Istickus of Umatilla, who had always i)een 
a warm friend of Whitman, had felt some ink- 
ling of the plot, and suggested to liim liis 
danger. He had never realized it before, but 



with his daring spirit had laughed off thoughts 
of harm. .\t the warning of Istickus, Mrs. 
Whitman, nolile. intrepid soul that she was, 
felt the darkening of the approaching tragedy. 
and was found by the children in tears for the 
only time since the death of her beloved little 
girl eight years before. The doctor told her 
that if ix)ssible he would arrange to remove 
down the river at once. 

But the next day, the fatal 29th of Xo- 
\ember. 1847. dawned. Great numbers of 
Tamsuky's adherents were in the vicinity. 
Survivors of the massacre say that on the day 
before, the little hill on which the monument 
is now situated, was l)lack with Indians look- 
ing down upon the scene. Their presence and 
their unfriendly looks added to the alarm felt 
l;y Airs. Whitman. 

At about I o'clock on the 29th. as Dr. Whit- 
man was sitting reading, a number of Indians 
entered and having attracted his attention l)y 
the accustomed re(|uest for medicine, one of 
them, said afterwards by the Indians to have 
been Tamahas, drew forth a hatchet and buried 
it in the head of his benefactor. Another 
named Telaukait. who had received many fa- 
vors from Whitman, then came up and pro- 
ceeded to beat and hack the noble face that had 
never expressed any sentiment but kindness 
toward those chiklren of darkness. The work 
of murder, thus begun, was followed with 
fiendish energy. Xone of the white men. scat- 
tered and unsuspecting, could offer any ef- 
fective resistance. They were quickly shot 
ilown, witli the excepti<.)n of such as were in 
])laces sufficiently remote to elude observation 
and glide away at night. Five men in that 
manner escaped and after incredible suffering 
reached places of safety. Mrs. Whitman was 
the onlv wnman who suffered death. The 
other women were shamefullv outraged, and 



HISTORY OF WALLA ^^'ALLA COUNTY. 



45 



the children, both boys and girls, were held 
in cai)ti\-ity several days. William AIcBean, 
the Hudson Bay agent at Fort Walla Walla, 
displayed a dastardly spirit when he learned 
of the massacre, for instead of rescuing, he 
refused to harbor one man, Mr. Hall, who had 
escaped as far as the' fort, but shut the door 
on him, with the result that he perished. A 
courier was sent by ]\IcBean to Vancou\-er, but 
he did not even warn the people at The Dalles 
of their danger, though happily they were not 
molested. As soon as James Douglas, then 
chief factor in the place of Dr. McLoughlin, 
heard of the massacre, he dispatched Peter 
Skeen Ogden with a force to rescue the sur- 
vivors. Ogden showed a commendable zeal 
and efficiency, and by the expenditure of sev- 
eral hundred dollars, ransomed forty-seven 
women and children. The names of the mur- 
dered were Alarcus Whitman, Narcissa Whit- 
man, John Sager, Francis Sager, Crocket Bew- 
ley, Isaac Gillen, James Young, and Rogers, 
Kimball, Sales, Marsh, Saunders, Hoffman 
and Hall. A lock of long, fair hair was subse- 
quently found on the site of the massacre 
which was undoubtedly taken from the head of 
Mrs. Whitman. It is now preserved among 
the i)recious relics in Whitman College. 

Such was this dreadful event which at the 
now peaceful site of the Waiilatpu desecrated 
all the sanctities of life and left a tragic stain 
on the heroic pages of Walla Walla's history. 

As one stands now upon the monument hill 
and views that entrancing rural scene, the sil- 
\ery bend of the Walla Walla, the dark green 
belts of birch and cottonwood, the bright fields 
of alfalfa, the continuous wheat-fields, green 
or gold with changing seasons, the gullied Um- 
atilla highlands to the west, the roofs and spires 
of Walla Walla, near at hand to the east, with 
the many-hued Blue mountains filling the back 



ground of the east and south, it is hard to 
realize how Waiilatpu was once torn and beaten 
with the relentless cruelty of savage warfare. 
Still harder is it to realize that the momentous 
world question of the ownership of Oregon 
came nearer its focus of settlement in this quiet 
spot than anywhere else. The people of Walla 
Walla are not greatly given to imagining or 
idealizing, and hence do not generally realize 
the historical significance of the old mission 
ground. The time will surely come when they 
will perceive that the richest products of field 
and orchard have played but a small part in 
making Walla \\'alla known compared with 
that tale of heroism and patriotism. 

Among many reminiscences of that time 
those of some of the hapless children are the 
most vivid and tloubtless the most relialile, for 
a child's memory for details, as well as in- 
genuousness and freedom from prejudices, 
gives such testimony the greatest value. Among 
the children was Mrs. Jacobs, now matron of 
Billing's Hall, \\'hitman College. Her re- 
membrances of the hiirrors of the massacre, 
and the equally dreadful details of the escape 
of the Osborne family, of which she was a 
member, ha\'e the intensity of fire even after 
the lapse of these fifl}'-tliree years. Mr. Os- 
borne gave to Mr. Spalding many years ago 
for publication an account of his escape, from 
which we take the following extracts. Mr. 
Osborne says : "As the guns fired and the yeljs 
commenced I leaned ni}- head upon the bed and 
committed myself and family to my Maker. 
My wife removed the loose floor. I dropped 
under the floor with my sick family in their 
night clothes, taking only two woolen sheets, 
a piece of bread and some cold mush, and pulled 
the floor over us. In five minutes the room 
was full of Indians, but they did not discover 
us. The roar of guns, the yell of the savages 



46 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUXTY. 



and tlic crash of clubs and kni\-es and tlie 
groans of the dying continued till dark, ^^'e 
distinctly heard the dying groans of j\Irs. 
Whitman, Mr. Rogers and Francis, till they 
died away one after the other. We heard the 
last words of Mr. Rogers in a slow voice call- 
ing "Come, Lord Jesus, come qtiickly.' Soon 
after this I removed the floor and we went out. 
\\'e saw the white face of Francis by the door. 
It was warm as we laid our hand upon it, but 
he was dead. I carried my two youngest chil- 
dren, who were sick, and my wife held on to 
my clothes in her great weakness. We had 
all been sick with measles. Two infants had 
died. She had not left her bed for six weeks 
till that day. when she stood up a few minutes. 
The naked, painted Indians were dancing the 
scalp dance around a large fire at a little dis- 
tance. There seemed no liope for us and we 
knew not \\hich way to go, but Iient our steps 
toward Fort W'alla W'alla. .A dense cold fog 
shut out every star and the darkness was com- 
plete. W'e could see no trail and not even the 
hand before the face. We had to feel out the 
trail with our feet. My wife almost fainted 
but staggered along. Mill creek, which we 
had to wade, was higii with late rains and came 
up to the waist. My wife in lier great weakness 
came nigh washing down, but held to my 
clothes. I braced myself with a stick, holding 
a child in one arm. I had to cross five times 
for the children. The water was ic}^ cold and 
the air freezing some. Staggering along about 
two miles, Mrs. Osborne fainted and could go 
no further, and we hid ourselves in the brush 
of the Walla W'alla river, not far below Tam- 
sukey's (a chief) lodges, who was very active 
at the commencement of the butchery. We 
were thoroughly wet and the cold fog like snow 
was about us. The cold mud was partially 
frozen as we crawled, feeling our way, into the 



dark brush, ^\'e could see nothing the dark- 
ness' was so extreme. I spread one wet slieet 
down on the frozen ground ; wife and children 
crouched upon it. I covered the other over 
ihcm. 1 thought they must soon perish as they 
were shaking and their teeth rattling with 
cold. I kneeled down and commended us to 
my Maker. The day finally dawned and we 
could see the Indians riding furiously up and 
down the trail. Sometimes thev would come 
close to the brush and our blood would warm 
and the shaking would stop from fear for a 
moment. The day seemed a week. Expected 
every moment my wife would breathe her 
last. Tuesday night, felt our way to the 
trail and staggered along to Sutucksnina 
(Dog creek), which we waded as we did 
the other creek, and kept on about two 
miles when my wife fainted and could 
go no farther. Crawled into the brush and 
frozen mud to shake and sufifer on from 
hunger and cold, and without sleep. Tiie chil- 
dren, too, wet and cold, called incessantly for 
food, but the shock of groans and yells at first 
so frightened them that they did not speak loud. 
Wednesday night my wife was too weak to 
stand. I took our second child and started for 
Walla W'alla; had to wade the Touchet; 
stopped freciuentlv in the brush from weakness; 
had not recovered from measles. Heard a 
horseman pass and repass as I lay concealed 
in the willows. Have since learned it was Mr. 
Spalding. Reached Fort Walla Walla after 
daylight ; begged Mr. McBean for horses to get 
my family, for food, blankets and clothing to 
take to them, and to take care of my child till 
I could bring my family in, should I live to 
find them alive. Mr. McBean told me I could 
not bring my family to his fort. 

"Mr. Hall came in on Monday night, but he 
could not ha\e an American in his fort, and 



HISTORY OF W'ALL.V ^^'ALLA COUXTY. 



47 



he liad put liim over the Columhia river : that he 
could not let me have horses or anything for 
mv wife and children, and I must go to Uma- 
tilla. I insisted on hringing my family to the 
fort, hut he refused: said he would not let us 
in. 1 next begged the priests to show pity, as 
mv wife and children must perish and the In- 
dians undoubtedly would kill me, but with no 
success. I then Iiegged to leave my child who 
was not safe in the fort, but they refused. 

"There were many priests in the fort. Mr. 
JMcBean gave me breakfast, but I saved most 
of it for my famil}-. Provider.lially 'Mv. Stan- 
ley, an artist, came in from Coh'ille, narrowly 
escaped the Cayuse Indians by telling them he 
was 'Alain' H. B. He let me ha\e his two 
horses, some food he had left from Rev. Eells 
and Walker's mission: also a cap. a pair of 
socks, a shirt and handkerchief, and Mr. Mc- 
Bean furnished an Indian who proved most 
faithful, and Thursday night we started back, 
taking niy child, but with a sad heart that I 
could not find mercy at the hands of the priests 
of God. The Indian guided me in the thick 
darkness to where I supposed I had left my 
dear wife and children. We could see nothing 
and dared not call aloud. Daylight came and 
I was exposed to Indians, but we CDUtiuued to 
search till I was about to give up in despair 
when the Indian discovered one of the twigs 
1 had broken as a guide in coming out to the 
trail. Following these he soon found my wife 
and children still alive. I distributed what 
little food and clothing I had, and we started 
for the Umatilla, the guide leading the way 
to a ford. 

"Mr. McBean came and asked who was 
there. I replied. He said he could not let us 
in ; we must go to Umatilla or he would put 
us over the river, as he had Mr. Hall. My 
wife replied she would die at the gate but she 



would not leave. He finally opened and took 
us into a secret room and sent an allowance 
of food for us every day. Next day I asked 
him for blankets for my sick wife to lie on. 
He had nothing. Next day I urged again. 
He had nothing to give but would sell a blanket 
out of the store. I told him I had lost every- 
thing, and had nothing to pay; but if I should 
li\e to get to the Willamette I would pay. He 
consented. But the hip-bones of my dear wife 
wore through the skin on the hard floor. 
Stickus, the chief, came in one day and took 
the cap from his head and gave it to me, and 
a handkerchief to my child." 

Mr. Osborne and his family finally went to 
the W^illamette valley, where they lived many 
years as honored members of the community, 
though Mrs. Osborne never entirely regained 
her health from the dreadful experiences of the 
massacre and the escape. 

A less distressing case of a few weeks later 
is presented in the following extract from some 
reminiscences of Mrs. Catherine Pringle of 
Colfax. Mrs. Pringle was one of the Sager 
children adopted by Dr. and Airs. Whitman. 

The story of a Christmas dinner which fol- 
lows was given by Mrs. Pringle to the Com- 
moner of Colfax in 1S93: 

"The Christmas of 1847," said Airs. Prin- 
gle, "was celebrated in the midst of an Indian 
village, where the American families who kept 
the day were hostages, whose li\es were in 
constant danger. There is something tragic- 
all}- humorous about that Christmas, and I 
laugh when I think of some of the things 
that I cried over on that day. 

"When the survivors moved to the Indian 
village, a set of guards was placed over us, 
and those guards were vagabond savages, in 
whose charge nobody was safe. Alany times 
we thought our final hour had come. They 



48 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



ordered us ardund like slaves, and kept us 
busy cooking for them. Whenever we made 
a dish, they compelled us to eat of it first, for 
fear there was poison in it. They kept up a 
din and noise that deprived us of peace by 
day and sleep at night. Some days before 
Christmas we complained to the chief of the 
village, who was supposed to be a little gener- 
ous in our regard, and he gave us a guard of 
good Indians, under command of one whom 
■we knew as 'Beardy.' The latter had been 
friendly to Dr. Whitman; he had taken no 
part in the massacre, and it was claimed to be 
through his intercession that our lives were 
spared. 

"We hailed the coming of Beardy as a 
providential thing, and so when the holiday 
dawned the elder folks resolved to make the 
children as happy as the means at hand would 
allow. 

"Mrs. Sanders had brought across the 
plains with her some white Hour and some 
dried peaches, and these had been brought to 
our abode in William Gray's mission. White 
flour was a luxury, and so were dried peaches 
then. Mrs. Sanders made white bread on 
Christmas morning, and then she made peach 
pie. Beardy had been so kind to us that we 
had to invite him to our Christmas dinner. 
We had ever S(j many pies, it seemed, and 
Beardy thought he had tasted nothing so good 
in all iiis life. He sat in one corner of the 
kitchen and crammed piece after piece of that 
dried peach pie into his mouth. We were de- 
termined that he should have all the pie he 
wanted, even if some of us went hungry, be- 
cause Beardy was a friend on whose fidelity 
probably our lives depended. 

"And so we had our Christmas festival, 
and we sang songs and thanked heaven that 
we were still alive. After dinner and about 



an hour after Beardy went a^vay, we were 
thrown into alarm by a series of mad yells 
and we heard Indian cries of 'Kill them 
Tomahawk them !' A band of savages startec 
to attack the Gray residence, and we saw then 
from the windows. Our time had come anc 
some of us began to pray. The day tha 
opened with fair promises was about to clos< 
in despair. 

'■'J'o our amazement and horror, the Indiai 
band was led by Beardy himself, the Indiai 
we counted on to protect us in just such emer 
gencies. He was clamoring for the death o 
all the white women. 

■■I*"ortune favored us at this critical junc 
ture, for just as the Indians were enterinc 
the house messengers arrived from For 
Walla Walla. The messengers knew Beard} 
well, and they advanced on him and inquirec 
the reason of his wild language. 

"'Me poisoned,' cried Beardy; 'me killed 
White squaw poison me. Me always whit( 
man's friend; now me enemy. White squav 
must die.' 

"That would be a liberal translation of th( 
Indian words. Then followed a colloquy be 
tween Beardy and the messengers, and fron 
the language used we gleaned that Beardy hat 
suffered fn)m an overdose of American pie 
and not knowing alxiut the pains that lie ir 
wait after intemperate indulgence even in pie 
he rushed to the conclusion that the pie hac 
been poisoned. 

"It required a long time for the messen- 
gers to convince Beardy that the women wen 
innocent of any intention to cause him pain 
but that he was simply suffering from the 
effects of inordinate indulgence in an indiges- 
tible lu.\ury. 

"The messengers talked Beardy into a 
reasonable frame of mind; he called off his 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



49 



liorcle of savages, and peace once more spread 
lier. wings over the William Gray mission. 

"We were all happy that night — happy 
that Mrs. Sanders' pie had not been the means 
of a wholesale slaughter of white families on 
Christmas day. 

'"The messengers I speak of brought good 
news from the fort. Succor was at hand, and 
on December 29th we were moved to the fort, 
and started down the river to The Dalles, 
January 3, 1848. The Christmas of the year 
1847, 'I* 't was celebrated ■ in this territory, 
offers somewhat of a contrast to the Yule- 
tide merriment in all the churches and homes 
to-day." 

We have now described the Whitman mis- 
sion. Whitman's midwinter journey, his work 
for Oregon, and the massacre. It now re- 
mains to speak of the Cayuse war, which fol- 
lowed as a natural secpience. 

THE C.VYUSE WAR. 

The ransomed missionaries from Waiil- 
atpu, Lapwai and Tchimakain reached the 
\\'illamette valley in safety. Concerning 
those from Lapwai and Tchimakain, it may 
be said here to the credit of the Indians, that 
though one band, the Cayuses, were murder- 
ers, two bands, the Nez Perces and Spokanes, 
were saviors. Few things more thrilling ever 
came under the observation of the writer 
than the narrations by Fathers Eells and 
Walker of the circuit of the Spokanes at 
Tchimakain to decide whether or not to join 
the Cayuses. 

The lives of the missionaries hung on the 
decision. Imagine their emotions as they 
waited with bated breath in their mission house 
to know the result. After hours of excited 
discussion with the Cayuse emissaries, the 



Spokanes announced their conclusion : "Go 
and tell the Cayuses that the missionaries are 
Dur friends and we will defend them with our 
lives." 1 he Xez Perces made the same de- 
cision. Bold though those Cayuses were — 
the fiercest warriors of the Inland Empire — 
their hearts must have sunk within them as 
they saw that the Umatillas, the Nez Perces 
and the Spokanes, and even the Hudson's Bay ' 
Company, were all against them and that they 
must meet the infuriated whites from the Wil- 
lamette. For as soon as tidings reached the 
AVillamette the provincial government at once 
entered upon the work of e(|uipping fourteen 
companies of volunteers by an act of Decem- 
ber 9. These volunteers mainly provided their 
own horses, arms and ammunition, without a 
thought of pecuniary gain or even reimburse- 
ment. 

Cornelius Gilliam, father of W. S. Gilliam, 
of Walla Walla, was chosen . colonel of the 
regiment, and with great energy pushing all 
necessary arrangements, he set forth from the 
rendezvous at The Dalles on February 27th, 
1848. Several battles occurred on the way, 
the most severe being at Sand Hollows, in the 
Umatilla country. Five Crows and War 
Eagle, the great fighters of the Cayuse tribe, 
had gathered their braves to dispute the cross- 
ing of the Umatilla river. The former claimed 
that by his wizard powers he could stop all 
bullets, and the latter agreed to swallow all 
that were fired at him. P)Ut at the first onset 
the "Swallow Ball" was killed, and the wizard 
was so severely wounded as to be obliged to 
retire from the war. Nevertheless the Indians 
maintained a plucky fight and the whites suf- 
fered several casualties. The Indians broke 
at last and the way to Waiilatpu was clear. 
Gilliam's command reached it on March 4th. 
They paused several days to recuperate and 



50 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUXTV. 



give a reverent burial to tlie remains of tlie 
niartvrs, whicli had been liastily covered with 
earth when Ogden ransomed the captives, but 
were afterwards partiaUy exliumed In- coyotes. 
Tiie Lidians had now fallen back to Snake 
river. Following them thither the whites 
were somewhat outgeneraled. They surprised 
and captured a camp of Indians, among whom 
were, as afterwards discovered, some of the 
murderers themselves. But the wily Cayuses 
professed great friendship, and jjointing to a 
large band of horses on the hill, said that the 
hostiles had abandoned them and crossed the 
river. Completely deluded, the whites sur- 
rendered the camp and rounding up the horses 
started on their return. .\nil now the released 
captives, mounting at once, began a furious 
attack which proved so harrassing that the 
volunteers were obliged to retreat to the 
Touchet, and finally, although they repelled 
the Indians, they let loose the captured horses. 
These the Indians seized, vanishing with them 
over the plains. 

But the Indians in general had no wish 
to fight, and finding that the whites insisted 
on a surrender of the murderers, the tribe 
scattered in various directions; Tamsuky with 
his friends going to the head waters of the 
Joiin Day. There they remained for two 
years. In 1850 a band of Umatillas under- 
took to capture them, and after a fierce fight 
killed Tamsuky and captured a number. Of 
the captives five w-ere hanged at Oregon City 
on June 3d, 1850. The Cayuse Indians assert, 
however, that only one of those condemned 
was really guilty. That was Tamahas, who 
struck Dr. Whitman the first fatal blow. The 
claim that the others were innocent is very 
likely true, and if so is but another instance 
of the lamentable failure to apply either pun- 
islnnent or mercy accurately, which has char- 



acterized all Imlian wars on both sides. The 
imiocent have Ixjrne the sins of the guillv in 
more ways than one. 

I\Iany men afterwards famous in Oregon 
and \Vashington history took part in the Cay- 
use war. Among those we may name James 
Nesmith, afterwards United States senator, 
and father of Mrs. Ankeny, of Walla \\'alla. 
William Martin, of Pendleton, was a captain 
in that war. Joel Palmer, Tom McKay, J. 
M. Garrison and many others bore their part 
in that beginning, as later in the maturer de- 
velopment of the country. Colonel Gilliam, 
wdio had shown himself a brave and capable 
commander, was accidentallv killed on the re- 
turn, a most melancholy end of a career wdfich 
was full of promise to this country. 

In taking our leave of this great epoch in 
the varied history of Walla A\'alla, we can 
only say in the way of reflection, that. grie\- 
ous as this end of Whitman's career was, it 
will no doubt ultimately be seen to have pro- 
duced greater results for this region and tho 
world than if he had survived to enjoy a W'elb 
merited rest. For the subsequent development 
of this section, the founding of Whitman Col- 
lege, and the whole train of circumstances 
arising from American occupation may be seen 
in some measure to have grown out of the 
tragedy of ^^'aiilatpu. Here, as elsewhere, 
martyrdom seems a necessary accompaniment 
of the profoundest progress. While the offenses 
of the Indians cannot be condoned, yet charity 
compels the admission that the poor creatures 
were hardl}^ more responsible than the wild 
beasts who also disputed the ground with civ- 
ilized man, and though the progress of the 
world demanded the removal of both as ob- 
stacles, yet the disposition of many people to 
indiscriminate hate and to hold saxages to a 
higher standard of responsibility than we 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY 



51 



wnuld allow even fur the best of ourselves, 
does little credit to our boasted civilization 
and Christianity. 

The following interview casts so vivid a 
light on our earlier time, and bears so directly 
on the Whitman epoch, that we preserve it 
here entire. 

IXTERVIEW WITH L. T. BOYD. 

Mr. Boyd is a well-known pioneer of Walla 
Walla. He came to Oregon in 1843 with the 
famous wagon train led by Dr. Marcus W^hit- 
man. He drove Dr. Whitman's cart part of 
the way and was well acquainted with him. 
On October 5, 1900, he gave the following 
account of his experience at that time and of 
his subsequent hfe: 

"The way I came to get started was some- 
what peculiar. JMy uncle with whom I was 
living gave me a tremendous thrashing one 
day, which riled me so that I gathered to- 
gether my clothes and struck out afoot and 
alone. I came up into Jackson county, Mis- 
souri, and got in with an old farmer and lived 
with him a couple of years. One day the 
farmer's daughter told me that my uncle had 
got wind of where I was and was coming after 
me. so I skipped out from there and in the 
spring, having heard that an immigration was 
going to start from this country, I joined it. We 
started from Independence, Missouri, in the 
spring of '43 with about one hundred and 
fifty wagons which averaged about ten people 
to the wagon. It was commonly believed by 
the people in the wagon train that it was Dr. 
Whitman's influence that brought them to- 
getiier. 

"I was a lad of about nineteen years of age 
at that time and was assigned to drive Dr. 
Whitman's cart. The Doctor himself mile 



ahead with the captain of the immigration, 
Applegate, in a light wagon. They took with 
them when they started out each morning, a 
bundle of long sharp stakes with wdiite rags 
tied to their tops. Every half mile or so they 
would set up one of these stakes and the driver 
of the lead teams of the wagon train took 
these as his guide posts. When they struck 
a good place to camp with plenty of grass and 
water, they would stop and the train when it 
came up would stay there for the night. I 
drove the Doctor's cart every other day until 
we reached Fort Boise and from there I drove 
it all the way. 

"We had a good deal of rough weather 
along through the country near the Missouri 
river, but after we got to the Platte we had 
good weather all the way out. The first bad 
luck we had was in crossing the Platte. The 
water was so deep that it would get into the 
beds of the wagons and we were afraid that we 
would lose all our provisions. We had to stop 
and figure out a way of getting the provisions 
and things that water would spoil, across in 
some way. At last we hit upon the scheme of 
building bufYalo boats. So we struck out and 
killed a lot of 'buffalo and made boats out of 
their hides in which to take the stuff across. 
To get the boats across was no small trick in 
itself. We made long ropes of hide, and when 
a boat was filled a man would swim his horse 
to the nearest island, taking the loose end of 
the rope with him. When he was securely on 
the island the boat would be swung from the 
shore and the current would help to put it 
over to the island. Then the man would gO 
from that island to the next until the boat and 
its cargo were ferried across. This process 
took a lot of time but w as the best we could do. 
There were some cattle lost bj'- getting mired 
in the sand and two women came near getting 



52' 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY 



drowned. They had passed one island in safe- 
ty and were just being swung to another wlien 
tlieir raft sunk and they were left floundering 
in the water. They would certainly have per- 
ished had it not been for the bravery of Char- 
ley .Vpplegate and Air. Gilliam, who swam out 
from shore and rescued them just as they 
were being carried into the swift water above 
the rapids. 

"The wagons went in single file until we 
saw signs of Indians. Then they would form 
in a column of twos, and if Indians actually 
came in sight we drove four and four. At 
night we made a round corral by running the 
tongue of one wagon up on the hind wheel of 
the next wagon in front, and then camped in- 
side of that. One wagon would take the lead 
one day and the next day the wagon behind 
it would take the lead and the lirst wagon 
would fall back to the rear. We had to break 
the sage brush and it would have been too 
hard for one team to break the road all the 
time. All along ihe Platte there was heavy 
sand. 

"We crossed the North Platte at the Cot- 
tonwood grove and took across and struck 
the South Platte nearly one hundred miles be- 
low Independent Rock, which is right in the 
gap of the Rocky mountains. We never saw 
an Indian on the plains except at Cottonwood 
grove. There we met a war party, and when 
they saw us coming they all formed in line be- 
side the Indian trail and got off their horses. 
\\'e came up to them four abreast and formed 
a corral and put the women and children in- 
side of that. Then we made motions to the 
Indians to come clown as we wanted to know 
what they were going to do. They made signs 
that they wanted to be friendly, so they came 
down and we gave them bacon, flour and meat 
and such things as we could spare. When 



they got ready to go they got up and raisec 
war whoop, got on their horses and away tl 
went. This was the only party of Indi; 
that we saw except the Indians at the foi 

"We had hunting parties out nearly 
the time. We laid over at Sweetwater g 
for about a week and all the men went t 
and killed buffalo and antelope and laid ir 
stock of dried meat. There was plenty 
game and we had no trouble in getting a I 
supply. One day when we were about foi 
miles this side of Sweetwater gap we saw 
big cloud of dust rising away out to the soul 
Pretty soon we saw that it was a great he 
of buffalo heading our way. We hurried i 
and drove as fast as we could, but the he 
struck us about mid-way of the train. E 
Whitman ga\e us orders to make a gap f 
them, for if we didn't they would make oi 
for themselves and mash cattle, men ai 
wagons into the dust. We made a gap aboi 
two hundred yards wide for them and killed 
lot of them as they went through. The catt 
of the front wagons got scared and ran f' 
about a mile before they could be stoppe 
They turned one wagon right over on top of 
family of three little children, but fortunate 
no one was hurt. Another time some buft'a 
came near camp and scared a team so that 
ran away and ran o\er a woman and broke 
little child's arm. 

"Not long after starting we held an ele 
tion and elected Dr. Whitman guide, or pile 
as you might say, because he knew the route 
well, and especially from Fort Hall down 1 
knew it perfectly. Jesse Applegate w: 
elected captain until we got to Fort Ha' 
There some of the wagons got to lagging b 
hind and we broke up into two trains. Lim 
say Applegate took charge of the head trai 
and Charley Applegate took charge of the hir 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 5 3 

train. The trains arrived about a week the lost one and sometimes he would get back 
apart. After we got this side of the Black to the train before they did. He did most of 
Hills the wagons took their own gait, staying the doctoring. There was not much sickness 
in companies of four or ti\'e wagons, and were in the immigratidn. only two deaths; a little 
scattered from that time until we reached the child died on the way and a man named Rich- 
valley. Whitman stayed in the first train all ardson died at Fort Hall, 
the time. When his team fagged the com- "They looked to Whitman for everything; 
p;iny would furnish cattle and he would go on. for orders and for directions to travel. When 
"Dr. Whitman would give us family we came to the Black Plills he told us he would 
jirayer ever}- night and morning and preach have to stop and make roads across the swamp, 
once in a while, probably two sermons a week; He superintended the making of the corduroy 
nearly every Sunday evening he would have a roads in person. It took us two weeks to cut 
sermon. He would give out word every morn poles and carr^- them in. We laid down three 
ing that he would have family prayers, and long poles or strings of poles for stringers and 
as regular as the night came he would coma then laid other poles across them. There was 
out to the guard tent and have prayer out about a mile of road in one place and a quarter 
there. Everyone thought a great deal of him. of a mile in another that we had to build, but 
They thought that what he said was about; there were so many of us that it did not take 
right. Of course there were some that didn't long. Dr. Whitman did the managing of it 
like him, but that was only natural because and stayed right with the company till they got 
there were so many of them. it done, working right along with the rest of 
"I have heard him say that he went back the men. I do not think a more willing man 
to Washington on business, but he never talked to do work e\-er drew breath, and if there was 
much about it, or told what particular busi- anything that needed attention anvwhere in 
ness he went back on. the camp, he would get up at any time of 
"He was sandy complexioned, a man that night to attend to it. He was always in the 
would stand about five feet seven or eight, and place where there \N-as the greatest need of 
when he talked he talked fast. His eyes, I some one to take hold and do things, 
think, were blue, his mouth tolerably small and "At Fort Hall the Hudson's Bay ofificials 
his teeth very white and even. As well as I and trappers tried to get us to turn and go to 
can recollect, his forehead was rather square California. They were going in that way 
and his temples came out full and his brows trapping and they did not want us in their 
were shaggy. He had a heavy beard. He l.unting grounds: but we had our heads set on 
was raw-boned, broad shouldered and stood as Oregon and we made up our minds to go 
straight as an Indian. He was a good horse- through. Then they tried their best to get us 
man and had splendid powers of endurance, to leave our wagons and pack our stufif the 
He could stand almost anything and was al- rest of the way on horses. They said that we 
ways ready to take the lead in danger or work, cnuldn't cross the rivers, that the Indians 
It any one was out longer than usual, he was would scalp us and dri\e our stock off, and 
the first one to say: 'Come, boys, let's go and that even with pack-honses the trail was 
lumt for him." Sometimes they would find difficult, but with wagons it was impossible. 



54 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Dr. Whitman got up and told the men that 
tney could get their wagons the rest of the way 
just as easily as they had gotten them to Fort 
Hall, and he told us that he had already taken 
his wagon there. We told the Hudson's Bay 
people that we had made up our minds to fol- 
low Dr. Whitman and wherever he went or 
said we could go we were going. 

"We thought that Oregon belonged to the 
Indians and in the long run would belong to 
the United States unless the English got hold 
of it, and they were trying mighty hard to get 
hold of it. The settlers made no difference 
between the land north of the Columbia river 
and soutli of it ; it was all Oregon to the Sis- 
kiyou mountains. It was the treaty of 1846 
that really settled the Oregon question, and we 
all felt that it was our settling in Oregon in 
1843 that saved the country to the United 
States. 

"Along in the winter of 1842 Whitman 
made a speech at Independence, Missouri, and 
it was published and they got hold of it down 
in Franklin county and St. Louis. He made 
this speech at Independence on his way to 
Washington. D. C. It got spread around 
that there was to be an immigration the next 
spring, and a rendezvous was appointed at a 
place about ten miles from Independence. 
When Whitman came back from Washington 
in .\pril. he made another speech that he was 
going to take this immigration through to 
Oregon and that he would go all the way with 
them. 

"When we got to the Snake river an amus- 
ing incident occurred that came well nigh 
being fatal in its outcome. At the first cross- 
ing a Dutchman named Stemmerman tried to 
tlrive a cow across, as she would not Icail. 
When the cow got to swimming water, ho 
took hold of her tail to help himself along. 



The cow did not like this performance, and 
tin-ning around gave him a jab in the ribs with 
her horns. He let go the cow's tail and sank. 
As he did not come up some of the men 
jumped in and brought him out, and then we 
h.ad to roll him over a Cottonwood log until he 
came to. 

"When we got to the Grande Ronde valley 
the Doctor was called up to the Clearwater to 
attend Mrs. Spalding, so he left us and we 
w ent on. \\"e came right through Union and 
LaGrande and up past where Baker City now 
is. Coming through the Blue mountains we 
had a pretty hard time building corduroy 
roads in man\- places, and in general experi- 
enced about the hardest part of the whole trip 
almost at its end. 

"If I recollect right it was about the mid- 
dle of September when we struck the Whit- 
man mission. We found an adobe house 
about 30x40, some out-buildings and a corral 
made of willow brush. The Hour mill had 
been burned by the Indians during the Doc- 
tor's absence. 

"I believe that tliere were ten wagons that 
stopped at the station during the winter and 
the rest of the wagons went on down into the 
valley. When the cattle got rested up they 
came to The Dalles and came down in boats 
from there. 

"We settled in Yamhill county, Oregon, 
and 1 stayed there until a month or two be- 
fore the massacre. 

"We got news that the Indians were get- 
ting bad and we came up to kind of corral 
them. They all appeared to be friendly and 
we took a notion to take a little scout up around 
the Snake and Clearwater. We roved around 
until the news came that the Indians had killed 
Wliitman and all the family. We gathered 
together and came bagk again and staved for 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



55 



about eighteen months, ransacking the coun- 
try all over. The Indians got word that we 
were hunting them and tliey brought the girls 
that they had captured to \\'alhila, then Fort 
W'alla W'alla. We had one skirmish up here 
about four miles this side of the mouth of the 
Clearwater. We killed about forty of them 
and threw them in the river. While we were 
counting litjw many we liad killed, we ran 
across one old Indian whose horse had fallen 
on him and pinned him to the ground. As 
we came along he pulled his bow and arrow 
on us. but he only shot a couple of his shafts 
before we fixed him and threw him in the 
river with the rest. Only two of our boys 
were wounded and they not enough to make 
them stay behind. 



"We got a lot of them corralled in the Big 
Bend about ten o'clock one night and waited 
until daybreak to pick our ground to fight. 
1 he next morning at daybreak we opened fire 
on tliem, and, as the saying is, "the river ran 
red.' We didn't show any mercy on them 
and when the fight was o\-er we took some 
scalps in regular Indian style and strung them 
to our saddle bows. The Indians fought with 
bows and arrows and old flint locks, but they 
were pretty good fighters. This was our last 
big fight and it occurred about eighteen 
months after the massacre. When we got 
back to Wallula they tried to get us to go 
l^ack with the regulars to the valley, but we 
said we hadn't followed the regulars up here 
and weren't going to follow them back." 



CHAPTER IV. 



INITI.^L ATTEMPT TO ORG.\NIZE W.ALLA WALLA COUNTY — ORIGIiXAL BOUNDARIES — OFFICIAL 
APPOINT.MENTS PROGRESS IMPEDED BY INDIAN OUTBREAK. 



Reference has already Ijeen incidentally 
made to the organization of Walla Walla c un- 
ty, but it is clearly incumbent that further de- 
tails be given in regard to the vicissitudes and 
circumstances which attended the efforts made 
to erect the county. At the first session of the 
legislature of the territory after its organization 
sixteen counties were created, among the num- 
ber being Walla Walla, whose boundaries were 
described as follows: "Commencing its line on 
the north liank of the Columbia river, ojiposite 
the mouth of the Des Chutes river, and running 
thence north to the forty-ninth parallel of north 
latitude;" and it took in all of Washington Ter- 
ritory between this line and the Rocky mount- 
ains. Thus it will be seen that the original 



county included what are now northern Idaho 
and northern Montana, the greater portion of 
Klickitat and Yakima counties, and all of the 
territory comprised within the present counties 
of Spokane, Stevens. Whitman, Columbia, 
Garfield and W'alla W'alla. Of the counties of 
our great state W'alla Walla may be most 
consistently designated as the "mother of coun- 
ties." 

The ])opulation of this monster county was 
very small and widely scattered, so that it be- 
came expedient to attach it to Skamania county, 
contiguous on the west, for judicial purposes. 
The county thus had assignment to the 
first judicial district, over wliich Judge Obadiah 
B. Mcl'adden jjresided. The counties of Walla 



56 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



\\'a!la. Skamania and Clarke were jointly al- 
lowed one member in the legislatixe assembly, 
and the county-seat waa by enactment located 
on the land claim of Lloyd Brooke, who had, 
as previously noted, established himself at the 
old Whitman mission. This first legislature, 
that of 1854. duly reinforced the political and 
official dignity of the new county, as is shown 
in the following extract from the proceedings 
of the session : "That George C. Bumford, 
John Owens and A. Dominique Pambrun be, 
and they are hereby constituted and appointed, 
the board of county commissioners ; and that 
Narcises Redmond be. and is hereby appointed 
sheriff; and that Lloyd Brooke be, and is hereby 
appointed, judge of probate, and shall have 
jurisdiction as justice of the peace: all in and 
for the county of Walla Walla." Of these ap- 
pointments Gilbert's history speaks somewhat 
facetiously, as follows: "Some of these offi- 
cials never knew of the honor that had been 
cast at their feet: and IMr. Pamljrun, in 18S2. 
insisted to the writer that hitherto he had been 
ignorant of this early ap])lication to himself of 
Shakespeare's fancy, when he wrote that, 'Some 
are born great, some achieve greatness, and 
some have greatness thrust upon them.' None 
of these parties acted officially in the positions 
to which they were chosen ; and their appoint- 
nient. in a region including less than a dozen 
American citizens, was a legislative absurdity." 
It will be readily inferred that the Indians 
yet held practical dominion in the county, and 
there had as yet been no enactment for the ex- 
tinguishment of their title to the land within 
its environments. When this enactment was 
finally made, it may be said in passing, it gave 
slight evidence of the application of justice and 
was a veritable travesty. It must be admitted 
that there was but-little to attract settlers to 
this section at that time, for land could be easily 



secured nearer the centers of cix'ilization, 
where the hardships to be endured were far less 
arid where the menace from the Indians was 
eliminated. Indeed, it is a matter of fact that 
the federal go\ernment as yet had no right to 
give title to any claim for lands in the region 
lying between the Rocky and Cascade mount- 
ains. Yet such were the opulent resources but 
waiting proper development, that the settle- 
ment of the Cduntry could not be long de- 
ferred. 

The next session of the territorial legisla- 
ture was held in January, 1855, at which time 
a second attempt was made to bring about a 
genuine organization of the county. A statute 
was adopted on the 24th of January, and by the 
provisions of the same the following officers 
were chosen: Probate judge, Lloyd Brooke: 
county auditor. Lloyd Brooke ; county treasur- 
er. Lloyd Brooke : county sheriff. Shirley En- 
sign : justice of the peace, George C. Bumford; 
county commissioners. John Owens, George C. 
Bumford. John F. Noble. The county was 
further authorized to elect two representatives 
to the territorial legislature. It is interesting 
to relate that n(ine of the gentlemen mentioned 
seemed to desire the honors or emoluments of 
public office, since none of them cjualified for 
the duties of the respective jMsitions, thus leav- 
ing the county organization one of merely nom- 
inal character, as before. Thus it may be seen 
that AX'alla Walla coimty was born of sore 
travail and that her infant days were regarded 
with most apathetic interest. But the day of 
better things was e\en now dawning, for soon 
indisputable inducements were offered to the 
white settlers. 

But before the day was fairly to break it 
was necessary that there should precede, as 
there has in nearly every .American settlement, 
that hour of darkness before the dawn, an In- 



n 
o 
C 

n 
o 
c 

H 

O 

G 

z 

o 

> 

r 
r 

o 

m 
n 

o 
» 
o 

(/I 




HISTORY OF ^^^\LLA WALLA COUNTY. 



57 



(Han war. Fully to narrate this, with its causes 
and results, will require two long chapters. 

A few hrief statements, howe\-er, as to the 
first attempts at settlement may be fittingly 
connected with this chapter, though in chro- 
nology thev carry us somewhat beyond the 
Indian wars of the succeeding chapters. 

BITGIXXING OF SETTLEMENT OF EASTERN WASH- 
INGTON. 

Subsequent to the Whitman massacre, con- 
cerning which special mention has been made 
on other pages of this volume, the country 
east of the Cascade mountains, in area the 
lar-ger portion of the territorj- of Washington, 
had been without any white settlers, excepting 
a few here and there. Therefore it had no part 
in the initiatory steps toward territorial organi- 
zation. Prior to the '60s it had scarcely any 
history except that connected with the early ex- 
plorations, the labors of the early missionaries, 
the Indians and Indian wars. The first settler 
in eastern Washington after the missionaries 
was Henry M. Chase, who entered the W'alla 
Walla valley in 1851. He was soon followed 
by Lloyd Brooke, George C. Bum ford and 
John F. Noble, the three for a time occupying 
the Whitman mission. They had to leave be- 
tween 1855 'I'lc^ 1858. After the Indians had 
been thoroughly subjugated through the vigor- 
ous campaign of Colonel George Wright, the 
interdictof Major-General Wocl against the oc- 
cupancy of eastern \\'ashington by white people 
was rescinded by his successor in command. 
General N. G. Clarke. Accordingly the whole 
country was thrown open to settlement in 1858. 
Soon we find a considerable number of families, 
farmers and stockmen in the Walla Walla val- 
ley, and also along and adjacent to the streams 
flf)wing from the Blue mountains. Thus the 



development of the Inland Empire became as- 
sured. In January, 1859, the territorial legis- 
lature organized the county of Walla Walla, 
and a small village began to grow around Mill 
creek, about five miles from the Whitman mis- 
sion. Its first name was Steptoeville, then 
Waiilatpu. It was selected as the county-seat, 
and when the commissioners assembled they 
gave it the name of Walla Walla. The county 
was so large that one of the commissioners 
lived only about sixty miles from the present 
site of Missoula, Montana. It would have taken 
him six weeks to reach his county-seat on 
horseback and return. He never qualified. 

In i860 the Salmon river gold discovery 
gave a wonderful impetus to immigration and 
settlement north of the Snake ■ri\-er, and by the 
opening of the year 1861 the mining excitement 
in that region was at its height. Adventurous 
mining prospectors flocked in from all direc- 
tions. It was a verital)le and typical rush for 
the precious metal, and, as usual in such cases, 
misfortunes were more in evidence thaiT suc- 
cesses. The winter of 186 1-2 was an excep- 
tionally se\-ere one, and the gold-seekers on their 
wav to the Salmon river country suffered great 
hardships, as did, indeed, the settlers of eastern 
Washington, also. But the influx of population 
was stopped for but a short time. In the spring 
of 1862 the people flowed in in a tide, estimated 
at from five to fifteen thousand, while some 
say they were twenty thousand strong. 

With all the misfortunes concomitant with 
this almost unparalleled gold excitement, it 
served as the means of ushering in a new civili- 
zation, for it initialed the marvelous develop- 
ment which has taken place in the U]:)per Colum- 
bia country, Lewiston, at the confluence of the 
Snake and Clearwater rivers, was laid out early 
in 1862. The territorial legislature of 1859 
created S])okane county, lying north of Snake 



58 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



river to the British Hue. ^larch 3, 1863, con- 
gress passed an act organizing the territory of 
Idaho out of tlie eastern part of Washington, 
including nearly all the mining region. There 
^verc at that time in eastern Washington the 
counties of ^^'alla \\'a]la, Klickitat and 
Spokane. The increase in population north of 
the Snake river during the next decade was 
slow. This region had but few scattered set- 



tlers, not including the L'nitcd States soldiers. 
The limits of this work preclude the addition 
of details with respect to settlements other than 
those of Walla Walla. It may be sufficient to 
say here, that ^^'a]la \\'alla contained the only 
settlement worth mention in what is now 
Washington for some years after the opening 
of the country in 1859. 



CHAPTER V. 



THE INDI.W W.\RS OF THE ' FIFTIES. 



We have seen in the previous chapter the 
struggle for possession with England. Ameri- 
ca won. Her home-builders outmatched the 
fur-traders. But there was. as there always has 
been in our national history, another inevitable 
struggle for possession. This was with the In- 
dians. Tlie so-called Christian nations have 
never stopped to consider much the rights of 
the native claimants of the land. This, too, 
though accompanied by needless cruelty, de- 
ceit and treachery, is one of the necessary 
though seeminglv hard and I)itter laws of life. 
The thing greatly to be deplored in all Indian 
wars, however, has been the general practice 
on both sides of inflicting punishment upon any 
innocent person that might happen along. 
Some drunken and ferocious savages, as devoid 
of humanity as the wild beasts about them, 
would plunder, outrage and kill some family of 
immigrants or settlers, and forthwith, a band of 
tlie brave, manly, yet harsh and intolerant 
frontiersman, who have made our early history, 
would rush forth impetuously and kill some 



])oor Indian wretches who had ne\'er heard of 
the outrage and had not the remotest concep- 
tion of having committed any offense. In like 
manner, when some avaricious white had 
swindled the ignorant Indians out of land or 
some other valuable property, or some lustful 
and conscienceless white desperado had out- 
raged Indian women or murdered unoffending 
braves, a band of Indians, inflamed with whisky 
purchased of some post-trader, and armed with 
weapcins from the same source, would go im 
th.e war path and torture, mutilate and murder 
some innocent, helpless women and children, 
who had never had a thought of injuring a liv- 
ins" thing. No one who has ever lived on the 
frontier can wonder at the hitter and intolerant 
hatred of whites for Indians. But if we, the 
civilized and the victors, could ])ut ourselves 
in the ])lace of the natives and view life with 
their e\'es, none of us wonkl wonder that they 
hatl haled us with the fury and frenzy of wild 
beasts. For it is safe to say that for every pang 
suffered hv whites, a score have been suffered 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



59 



by Indians. And we, the higiier race, must 
admit tliat we know better than they, antl liave 
less excuse for inhumanity and intolerance. 

Yet in the final summary tliere can be no 
other conclusion than that the extermination of 
the majority of the Indians and the tutal de- 
struction of their claims as owners of this coun- 
try, was "writ down in the book of fate." It 
was simply part of the irrepressible conflict of 
life. Moreover by reason of the necessities of 
existence the early settlers could not wait to 
argue abstract questions of rights. They had 
obeyed the fundamental law to subdue and re- 
plenish the earth, and in pursuance of that con- 
dition of all progress they could not stop to 
philosophize on the princijiles of human broth- 
erhood. They had to live and with a tomahawk 
just leveled over their heads they had to repel. 
And if the right to repel existed, the right to 
counter attack followed as a matter of course ; 
for extermination of their enemies was, gen- 
erally speaking, the only effectual means of re- 
pelling. It was sad but inevitable. And 
though we have lived a "Century of Dishonor," 
it is much easier now to condemn them than it 
would have been then to improve. 

By reason of the conditions just noted, we 
find the history of our Indian wars the subject 
of bitter controversy. Hardly any two writers 
or witnesses give the same version of suj^posed 
facts. One has a bias in fa\'or of the volun- 
teers and makes his facts conform to his opin- 
ions, and hence represents the volunteers as al- 
ways justifiable and the Indians as always to 
blame. Another gi\-es the reverse impression. 
Nor are pioneers generally much disposed to 
qualify or smooth either their opinions or ex- 
pressions. It is all one thing or all the other 
with them. The other fellow is a fool or a liar 
and that ends it. Compromise does ni)t llnurish 



in pioneer conditions. All are angels on one 
side and all ijevils on the other. 

We shall use our best endeavor in these 
pages to present the facts without bias, ac- 
knowledging the probable impossibility of sat- 
isfying all readers. Ijut believing that at this 
tlistance from the time, though not far from 
the scenes of the struggle, we can calmly view 
it and clearly see that its good or evil are not 
to be found exclusively on one side or the 
other, but, as with all human affairs, the tex- 
ture of each is of a mingled warp and woof. 

After the Cayuse war had ended in 1850. 
by the execution of the supposed murderers of 
Dr. Whitman, there was a lull along the bunch- 
grass plains and sage-brush l)anks of the Col- 
lumbia and Snake ri\'ers, and a few adventur- 
ous explorers -and ranchers began to seek lo- 
cations on the streams hallowed by martyr- 
doms. The most considerable settlement was 
at Frenchtown. ten miles below Walla \\'alla. 
According to the best information obtainable, 
there were eighty-five persons, the men entirely 
of French origin and former Hudson's Bay 
Company employes, v.-ith Indian wives and a 
good stock of half-lireed children, living there 
and in the vicinit}-. There were a few men at 
what is now ^^'allula. There were some fifteen 
men living at various .separated points. Among 
them were Henrv AI. Chase, well known for 
many vears in Walla Walla, and Dr. W. C. 
]\IcKay, the most famous man of mixed white 
and Indian blood that ever lived in Oregon. 
There were three men, Brooke, Bumford and 
Noble, at Whitman station. 

On the 3d of March 1853, Washington 
became a separate territory. Major Isaac I. 
Stevens was appointed go\-ernor, and in the 
following summer he set out for his domain. 
Ciiild had been disco\-ered in the Culville coun- 



6o 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUXTY. 



try and tliere were many adventurers moving 
across the plains in that direction. The In- 
dians were very restive. These explorations 
they regarded with well grounded suspicion 
as the entering wedge of the establishment of 
white sovereignty. 

There were at that time two remarkable In- 
dian chiefs, chiefs who belong to that line of 
remarkaljle Red Men of which Philip, Pontiac, 
Red Jacket, and Tecumseh were more illus- 
trious specimens : whose qualities of mind and 
character contain a hint of what Indians might 
have been had they had any wide or long con- 
tinued opportunity. These two Columbia val- 
lev chiefs were Kamiakin of the Yakimas and 
Peupeumoxmox of the ^^'alla Wallas. Like all 
the Indian chiefs, he perceived the handwriting 
on the wall revealed by the entrance of the 
whites, and they determined to make a des- 
perate effort to burst their tightening bonds 
while there was yet a chance of success. 

There was a general outburst of all the 
tribes of Oregon and \\'ashington in i<S53 and 
1S54, which led into the great war centering in 
Walla Walla in 1855. This series of troubles 
began in the summer of 1853 in the Rogue river 
valley, in southern Oregon. The usual bitter 
controversy raged as to who was to blame for 
this. It looks as though whites and Indians 
were both equally so. In 1854 occurred the 
horrible ".Snake River Massacre," in which a 
number of immigrants who had ofYered no 
provocation whatever, were butchered in the 
most brutal manner. X'orman \\"ard, of Pen- 
dleton, then a boy of thirteen, was the only sur- 
vivor. That massacre occurred on the Boise, a 
few miles above Fort Boise. Great excitement 
ensued in the Willamette valley when this 
atrocity was known, and Major Haller was 
sent by General Wool, then commanding the 
Department of the Pacific, to the scene. Having 



partially punished the supposed perpetrators of 
the outrage, the command returned to The 
Dalles. All these things, with many smoulder- 
ing causes of discontent, prepared the Indians 
for war. 

THE GREAT W.\R OF 1 855. 

This war had three fields of operation. 
One was southern Oregon, another Puget 
sound, a third the Yakima and Walla Walla 
\-alleys. In all there were probably four thous- 
and Indians under arms, and many have be- 
lieved that nothing but lack of intelligent co- 
operation among these prevented the annihi- 
lation of all the smaller settlements. But the 
wirious pettv feuds and conflicting purposes, 
always characteristic of barbaric wars, pre- 
vented such ' co-operation. Indian fought 
against Indian, and whites profited thereby. 

In ]\Iay, 1855, Governor Stevens and Gen- 
eral Joel Palmer met the representatives of 
seventeen tribes at \\'alla Walla, to endeavor to 
make treaties for the cession of their lands. 
The council ground was on and around the 
identical place now occupied by Whitman Col- 
lege. The immemorial council ground of the 
\Valla Walla and other tribes of this country, 
lay between the college brook and the one north 
of it, and around the place now known as 
Council Grove. A fair, entrancing spot it 
must have been in its primeval luxury and 
wildness. The tents of the great chiefs were 
pitched, as nearly as can be ascertained, on the 
spot now occupied by the house of Mrs. E. H. 
Baker. 

FIRST COUNCIL OF W.VLLA WALLA. 

Lieutenant Kipp has preserved a graphic 
account of this important meeting. Governor 
Stevens and General Palmer had an escort of 
only about fifty men. The Indians gathered in 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



6! 



great nunil)ers. Old Cliief Lawyer led an army 
of Nez Perces. twenty-five hundred strong', 
and, as tlie sequel proved, it was well for the 
whites he did so.- 

Two days later three Innulretl Cayuses, 
those worst and most dangerous Indians, the 
"Spartans of the Columbia," reached the 
ground, surly and scowling as usual, led b}- 
several chiefs, of whom none was friendly ex- 
cept Stechus. Two days later came over two 
thousand Yakimas, L'matillas and Walla Wal- 
las. Governor Stevens and his small squad 
must have been somewhat startled to see that 
in case of treachery their lives were not worth 
a dime. But with his characteristic nerve he 
maintained perfect dignity and composure. 
That was a meeting worthy of the pen of Irv- 
ing or the brush of Bierstadt. Along the banks 
of Mill creek and on either side of those rip- 
pling spring branches, whose clear cold waters 
lend beauty and freshness to the pleasant hi:)mes 
of Walla Walla, were stretched the camps of 
the flower of the warriors of the Inland Empire. 
The "Valley of many W^aters" must have 
seemed blessed indeed to the tribes of the plains, 
after they had ridden across the arid wastes be- 
tween Yakima and Walla W'alla and emerged 
fiom the Touchet hills upon ths fresh and 
grassy dales now consecrated to the memory of 
that very missionary whom the Cayuses slew. 
It seems i)oetic justice that Whitman College 
should now hold the self-same spot which fifty 
years ago was the capitol of the confederated 
tribes. Poetic justice, and yet melancholy and 
pitiable, if we could by some magic wand ren- 
der again visible and audible the savage mag- 
nificence which was there out-stretched on the 
banks of Mills creek, and contrast it with the 
wretched remnant which now shamljles aimless- 
ly through this heritage of their fathers and 



look with inscrutable eyes toward their own 
certain fate. 

Governor Stevens opened the council on 
May 29th by a short speech setting forth his 
desire to purchase the lands of the Indians, leav- 
ing to them in perpetuity certain reservations. 
On the 30th and 31st both Governor Stevens 
and General Palmer addressed the council in 
lengthy speeches. These had to be translated 
into both the Nez Perce and Walla Walla 
tongues and from these they gradually filtered 
down among the mass of Indians. The In- 
dians were entirely unresponsive. Attempts 
were resumed unsuccessfully to get some sign 
of committal by the chiefs. On June 4th Law- 
yer broke the ice by an address favoring the 
treaty. Many of the Nez Perces followed 
Lawyer, but Joseph swung a large faction in 
the other direction. All the eloquent portray- 
al of Stevens and Palmer of the blessing's of 
civilization was received by the Indians with 
gutteral grunts, an Indian's sign of attention, 
but no token of approval followed, aside from 
the faction represented by Lawyer. 

Several days passed. The Cayuses bitterly 
opposed the treaty. Peupeumoxmox, the great 
Walla Walla chief, departed from his usual 
policy of taciturnity and openly opposed it. 
Peupeumoxmox had sufficient cause of griev- 
ance. He had been a friend of the whites. His 
sen had been educated at Whitman's mission. 
He had been friendly to Whitman. Then his 
son was taken by Stilter, of gold-discovery 
fame, to California. There the innocent and 
well-meaning boy was murdered by a crowd 
of those low, coarse, brutal white men, who 
have caused so large a part of Indian troubles. 
The father swore vengeance and bided his time. 

On June 9th came another great "Wa Wa." 
Governor Stevens was pitted against Looking 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Glass, the great Xez Perce war chief, wlio had 
airi\e(I late to tlic council, with a Blackfoot 
scalp dangling beside him as a tropy of a re- 
cent foray. The governor had decided to offer 
them three reservations, one for the Yakimas, 
one fnr the Xez Perccs. and one for the Cay- 
uses, Walla Wallas and Umatillas. He made 
a great speech, and aided as he was by the in- 
fluence of Lawyer, felt sure that he had at- 
tained his end. But the magnificent war chief 
Looking Glass leaped to his feet and poured 
forth a speech that soon had the tribes shout- 
ing and api)lauding around him. He was the 
Demosthenes of the occasion and the gov- 
ernor found all his work undone. But with 
the patience and skill which made him such a 
great figure in our annals, he again gathered 
up the broken threads of his work, and by 
private manipulations and persuasions, Lawyer 
being his right-hand man, he secured the assent 
of the chiefs to the signing of the treaties on 
the 11 th of June, and his work was complete. 
Lieutenant Kip asserts that they afterwards 
discovered that they had been all the time on 
the very verge of a volcano, for the Indians 
were spending most of their time tliscussing 
the question of whether they should massacre 
the whole detachment. The Cayuses, as usual, 
were the active originators of this plot. The 
firm opposition of the Nez Perces was the only 
thing that prevented its consummation. An un- 
told debt of gratitude is due the Nez Perces. 
No white man with a spark of humanity in 
him should forget these noblest of the red 
men. Had the plot been executed, the Indians 
would next have wiped out the soldiers at The 
Dalles, and after that the extermination of all 
the whites in the country east of Portland 
would have followed. 

The treaties negotiated at Walla Walla, 
June 12, 1855 (though dated June 9th), pro- 



vided fur the surrender by the Yakimas of the 
vast area of twenty-nine thousand square miles, 
being substantially Chelan, Yakima, Kittitass, 
Franklin, Adams, antl the most of Douglas 
ar.d Klickitat counties. From that cession 
was to be excepted the ])rincely domain, one 
o^. the finest bodies of land in the world, now 
known as the Yakima reservation. The Yaki- 
mas, it may be said, constituted a "nation" 
ccmposed of fourteen tril)es, extending from 
the Cascade summits to the Palouse river. 
The Nez Perces agreed to relinquish almost 
as large an area, embracing what is now a good 
part of Whitman, Garfield, Columbia and Aso- 
tin counties in Washington ; U^nion and Wal- 
li.wa counties in Oregon; and Washington, 
Idaho and Nez Perces counties in Idaho. A 
very large reservation was provided by the 
treaty for the Nez Perces; being, in addition to 
tliat now embraced in the Nez Perce reserva- 
tion, large tracts between the Alpowa and 
Snake ri\-ers and the Wallowa valley. The 
retention of the W'allowa was insisted on by 
Chief Joseph, and seems to have been the key 
t'j the ratification of the entire plan: antl it 
is the more to be deplored that the modification 
of the treaty in 1S63 afterward precipitated 
the Nez Perce war of 1877. That change in 
1863 involved the surrender of the Wallowa 
and the reduction of the Nez Perce reservation 
to what it was prior to its recent opening. But 
few Indians seem to have been consulted, and 
young Jose])h, son of the Joseph who took part 
in the treaty of 1855, insisted on their claim 
to the countr}-, and the difficulty led to the 
memorable war of 1877. This is not the [jlacc 
to discuss the event, but we refer to it here in 
order to illustrate the lamentable results which 
follow a failure to adhere to a given agree- 
ment from one administration to another. The 
treaty of 1855 should have been faithfully ob- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



63 



served unless abrogated by tbe clear and gen- 
eral agreement of botii parties. And there 
was tlie deeper obligation on the government 
to do it in case of the Nez Perces, for to them 
Governor Stevens and his party owed their 
lives, and the settlers owed a debt of thankful- 
ness not to be computed. Instead of i-emem- 
Ijering this, the land-grabbers goaded those 
steadfast friends of the whites into a cruel and 
causeless war. In connection with this Wal- 
lowa matter, an interesting- reminiscence was 
given the writer by John McBean, son of the 
Hudson's Bay employe of that name. Young 
McBean was at that time a boy of twelve, and 
I)eing a half-breed and knowing the Indian 
language perfectly, could pass at any time for 
an Indian. He related that while acting as a 
spy on the grounds, he heard the discussion 
about the treaties. And the whole matter de- 
pended upon whether the Nez Perces would ac- 
cept it. This they finally did on the distinct 
agreement that Joseph and his band should have 
permanent possession of the Wallowa. That 
point assured, the Nez Perces agreed. The 
others followed. That settled the whole mat- 
ter. Otherwise the treaties would iiever nave 
been accepted. Yet eight \'ears after, without 
general agreement by the tribe, the vital point 
was violated and the cherished Wallowa valley 
left out of the reservation to be demanded in 
later years by white settlers. It should be 
added that those immediate settlers were in no 
way personally guilty. Government was to 
liiame. That is a sample of one kind of reason 
for Indian wars. So much for the Nez Perce 
I'art of the agreement. 

The Umatillas, Cayuses and Walla Wallas, 
under the terms of this treaty, relincjuished 
their right to another magnificent territory, 
embraced substantially in the present limits of 
Walla Walla county in Washington, and Uma- 



tilla. ]\Iorrow, and part of Uni(jn and Gilliam 
counties in Oregon. Their reserx'ation was es- 
sentially that now known as the Umatilla reser- 
vation. Which of these three superb domains 
was the best would puzzle a good judge to de- 
cide. An}' one of them is larger than most 
of the Atlantic states, and in point of opu- 
lence of natural resources surpasses ecjual areas 
in most parts of the world. 

For their concessions the Indians were to 
receive what seems a just and even liberal 
compensation; though to the mind of civilized 
man ridiculously small; for the whole vast 
area of probably thirty million acres outside of 
reservations, was relincjuished for about six 
hundred and fifty thousand dollars in all ; per- 
haps, roughly estimated, two cents per acre. It 
is probably worth to-day, with its improve- 
ments, nearly a cjuarter of a billion dollars. 

The compensation of the Yakima Nation 
was two hundred thousand dollars, paid in an- 
nuities, with salaries for the head chief of five 
hundred dollars for twenty years, also some 
special agreement in regard to houses, tools, 
etc. The compensation of the Nez Perces was 
the same. The Umatillas, Cayuses and Walla 
Wallas were to receive one hundred thousand 
dollars; each of the head chiefs to have an an- 
nuity of five hundred dollars for twenty years, 
and also to have the usual special donations 
fur hiiuses, tools, etc. Peupeumoxmox, whose 
f;ivor was especially courtsd, was granted the 
uni(|ue privilege of beginning to draw his salary 
a: once, without waiting for the formal ratifi- 
cation of congress. His remaining son was to 
receive an annuity of one hundred dollars a 
year, a house and five acres of land, plowed 
and enclosed. Peupeumoxmox was also to be 
given three yoke of oxen, three yokes and 
chains, one wagon, two plows, twelve hoes, 
twelve axes, two shovels, a saddle and Ijridle, a 



64 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



set of wagon harness and one set of plow Iiai- 
ness. 

Having completed this great work, Governor 
Stevens passed on to the north and east to con- 
tinue tlie same line of negotiations with the 
Lidians there. Wc may say in hrief, that he 
succeeded in making a treaty with the Black- 
feet, but was unsuccessful with the Spokanes. 
]\Ieanwhile, during his absence, the great Walla 
Walla and Yakima war hatl burst with the sud- 
denness of a cyclmie upon the Columbia plains. 
A.nd not only here but throughout the Sound 
country the storm of war had burst on all 
sides. 

WAR BEGINS. 

That the outbreak of hostilities shijuld have 
occurred almost simultaneously at places so re- 
mote from each other as Walla Walla, Puget 
sound and Rogue river has led many to suj)- 
pose that there was a definite and wide-spread 
conspiracy. Others have believed that there 
was simply an identity of causes, and that these 
produced like results at like times. While it is 
altogether likely that there may have been hints 
oi outbreak in the air which spread from tribe 
tu tribe, it is likely that the second is the true 
solution. 

Kamiakin, the Yakima chief, and Peupeu- 
nioxmox, the Walla Walla chief, were the ani- 
mating force of the movement on this side of 
the mountains. Kamiakin was a natural gen- 
eral and diplomat. He seems to have signed 
the treaty at Walla Walla only under great 
pressure and with the mental reservation that 
he would break it at the first opportunity. 
Hardly had the ink dried on the treaty when 
he was rounding up the warriors over the wide 
domain of the Yakima nation. These chiefs 
seem to have seen, as did Philip and Pontiac, 



that the coming of the whites, if not checked, 
meant the destruction of Indian rule. If they 
struggled against fate at all they must do it 
then. From their standpoint they were adopt- 
ir,g the only possible policy. As some of the 
Xez Perces told Governor Stevens, they were 
not afraid of explorers, or trappers or soldiers, 
but they were afraid of men with wagons and 
axes. They had now been watching for fifteen 
years a steady stream of immigrants passing 
down to the \Mllamette. Steamboats were 
running on the Columbia and Willamette rivers. 
Towns were springing up. It was now or never 
for them. One Indian only, and that was 
Lawyer, the Xez Perce, perceived the impos- 
.sibility of the Indians ever coping with the 
whites, and that therefore the only wise course 
for them was to yield to the inevitable as easily 
as possible and adopt the white man's mode of 
life and live on terms of amity with him. 
Though Looking Glass and Eagle-from-the- 
light had dissented very strongly from the first, 
th.ey had finally yielded to Lawyer's powerful 
infiuence and the treaty had resulted. Now in 
the midst of the fury of war they remained true 
to their agreement. 

Kamiakin had gathered together a great 
council of the disaffected at a point north of 
Snake river. The fierce and intractable Cay- 
uses were the most acti\-e in the movement of 
any except Kamiakin himself and his imme- 
diate friends. Young Chief and Five Crows 
were the Cayuse chiefs leading the war, Stechus 
alone, with a very small following, holding 
aloof. 

The war broke out rather prematurely in 
September by the murder of miners who were 
traversing the Yakima \alley. Agent Bolon 
having gone courageously into the valley to in- 
vestigate the matter, was murdered and burned 
to ashes on September 23d. It is said that 



HISTORY OF WALLA \VALLA COUNTY. 



65 



Ouelchen. son of Owlii ami nephew of Kamia- 
kin, committed this crime. 

Tidings of the ontbreak of hostilities hav- 
ing readied The Dalies. Major Haller with a 
iumdred men started north at once and Lieu- 
tenant Slaughter went from Steilacoom across 
the Xatches pass to the Yakima to co-operate 
with Haller. But on October 6th, the Indians 
burst upon Haller with such energy that he was 
obliged to retreat with the loss of a fourth of 
his men, besides his howitzer and baggage. 
At this stage of affairs Peupeumoxmox fell 
upon old Fort Walla Walla, now Wallula, and 
tl'-ough it had no garrison the Indians plundered 
the fort of a considerable quantity of stores. 
The Walla Walla valley was swept of settlers. 
The regions also bordering Puget sound were 
ravaged by the Indians. At this time General 
Wool was the commander of the Department 
of the Pacific. It is not possible here to enter 
into any examination of the bitter and ran- 
corous dispute that has arisen as to General 
Wool's conduct of this war. It was intensely 
unsatisfactory to the settlers. Wool seems to 
have decided that the whites in southern Oregon 
were more to blame than the Indians, and he 
felt disposed in consequence to let them meet 
the results of their own acts. 

Discovering from experience that there 
was little to be hoped for from the regulars, 
Governor Curry and the Oregon legislature 
speedily equipped a strong force under Colonel 
J. W. Nesmith. Colonel Nesmith having 
gone to the Yakima country with four com- 
panies under general charge of Major Rains 
of the regulars, on what proved to be a fruit- 
less expedition, Lieutenant-Colonel J. K. Kelly, 
in command of five hundred men, marched to 
Walla \\'al!a. 
5 



B.\TTLE OF WALL.\ W.\LLA. 

There occurred the famous battle of the 
Walla Walla, on the 7th, 8th, 9th and loth of 
December, 1855. The force of Oregon vol- 
unteers having reached Wallula on December 
2nd, found that the Indians who they had 
hoped to meet there had eluded them, leaving 
the fort in ruins. Setting forth in two divi- 
sions on December 5th, the volunteers pro- 
ceeded up the Walla Walla river to the Tou- 
chet. Turning up the latter stream they had 
gone about ten miles when there suddenly ap- 
peared, with a flag of truce, no less a personage 
than Peupeumoxmox himself. Captain Con- 
noyer, w-ho was in the vanguard, entered into 
a parley with the Walla Walla chieftain, in 
which the chief stated that he and his people 
were anxious to make peace. He told Nathan 
Olney, the Indian agent with whom he con- 
versed, that he had at first intended to make 
war on the whites, but on reflection had de- 
cided that it would not be good policy. 

While the conference was in progress, the 
troops as well as the Indians had gradually 
gathered around in considerable numbers and 
finally passed on in the direction of an Indian 
village near at hand. 

Seeing that they were approaching a dan- 
gerous canyon, Colonel Kelly became suspi- 
cious that the Indians w-ere meditating treach- 
ery, and he determined to return a short dis- 
tance back upon the trail and camp without 
supper for the night. It was a cold, wretched 
night. Snow began to fall. Colonel Kelly, 
in his anxiety to make a forced march, had 
given orders to tra\el light, and they were so 
very light that they had no supplies. 

JMuch difference of opinion devclojied as to 



66 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



tlie wisdom of pausing and camping on the 
trail. Captain Connoyer held the opinion, 
which he afterwards stated to Colonel Gilbert, 
that Peupeumoxmox was acting in good faith 
and that if the army had gone on with him, 
he being entirely in their power, they would 
have reached the village in safety and would 
have found plenty of food, passed a comforta- 
ble night, and that the war would have ended 
then and there. Colonel Kelly believed other- 
wise and has left cm record the following rea^ 
sons for his opinion : 

Colonel Kelly writes that Peupeumoxmox 
"stated that he did not wish to fighi and that 
on the following day he would come and have 
a talk and make a treaty of peace. On con- 
sultation with tlunurable Nathan Olney, In- 
dian agent, we concluded that this was simply 
a ruse to gain time for removing his village and 
preparing for battle. I stated to him that we 
had come to chastise him for the wrongs he 
had done to our people, and that we would 
not defer making an attack on his people un- 
less he and his fi\e followers would consent 
to accompany and remain with us until all 
difficulties were settled. I told him that he 
might go away under his Hag of truce if he 
chose, Init that if he did so we would forth- 
with attack his village. The alternative was 
distinctly made known to him. and to save his 
people he chose to remain with us, a hostage 
for the fullillment of his promises, as did also 
those who accompanied him. He at the same 
time said that on the following day he would 
accompany us to his village; that we would 
then assemble his jieople and make them deliver 
up their arms and ammunition, restore the 
l)roperty which had been taken from the 
white settlers, or pay the full value of that 
which could not be restored, and that he would 
furnish fresh horses to remount my command 



and cattle, to supply them with provisions to 
enable us to wage war against other hostile 
tribes who were leagued with him. Having 
made these promises, we refrained from mak- 
ing the attack, thinking we had him in our 
power, that on the next day his promises would 
be fulfilled. I also permitted him to send one 
of the men who accompanietl him, to his vil- 
lage to apprise the tribes of the terms of the 
expected treaty, so that they might be prepared 
to fulfill it. 

"I have since learned from a Nez Perce 
boy who was taken at the same time with 
Peupeumoxmox, that instead of sending word 
to his people to make a treaty of peace, he sent 
an order to them to remove their women and 
children and prepare for battle. From all I 
ha\e since learned, I am well persuaded that he 
was acting with duplicity and that he expected 
to entrap my command in the deep ravine in 
which his camp was situated, and make his 
escape from us." 

\\'e will not now undertake to say who 
was correct, but all seem to have agreed in 
one thing, and that is that the men had a most 
wretched night and became exceedingly im- 
patient, and rather blindly feeling that Peu- 
peumoxmox was to blame for all their discom- 
fort, they were in the mood for the tragedy 
that followed. 

This move of the "Yellow^ Serpent" w^as 
hard to explain in any way. It seemed very 
strange that he would have put himself right 
in the hands of his enemies unless he really 
meant to act in good faith. }iIoreover, it is 
not easy to see how he could have expected 
to gain anything by leading the whites to his 
village, so long as his own life was sure to be 
the instant forfeit of any treachcr\-. But on the 
other hand, it is very strange that if he was 
perfectly honest the Indians should have made 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



67 



the attack on the next day. Hu\ve\er it may 
ha\e Ijeen, it was plain that things were not 
going just according to program, for during 
the night Indians had gathered in great num- 
bers aliout on tiie hills, and were evidently 
watching in great anxiety to see what might 
be the fate of Peupeumoxmox. 

The sul^secpient exxnts matle it seem likely 
that the Indians had made a change of policy 
during the night. They shouted words in the 
Cayuse language evidently intended for the 
capti\e chief alone. 

\\ hen morning of that bleak December 
day dawned, Peupeumoxmox was very anxious 
to get some stay of proceedings. He said that 
his people needed time to prepare provisions, 
etc., in order to give the whites a fitting recep- 
tion. It was nearly noon before the cold, hun^ 
gry, disgusted command got started, and after 
passing through the canyon in safety they 
reached the Indian village, but alas ! no 
warmth or food, or welcome awaited them. 
The village was deserted. Scouts were seen 
on the surrounding hills, and finally after much 
shouting and gesticulating one Indian was in- 
duced to come to the camp. He proved to bo 
the son of Peupeumoxmox. Having entered 
into conversation with his son, the old chief 
finally directed him to notify the people to 
come in and make peace. 1 he son told him 
that they were only awaiting the arrival of 
Five Crows to do so. But they waited a long 
time and the famished and exhausted volun- 
teers saw that they must return to the mouth 
of the Touchet to join those there left with 
provisions and baggage. Doing so, night 
found them at the Touchet. 

In the morning early the force was under 
way with baggage and all available resources, 
moving toward Whitman mission where Col- 
onel Kelly planned to make a winter camp. 



Peupeumoxmox with several companions were 
still with them. Soon after the volunteers had 
crossed the Touchet, the ball opened. \Mio 
first fired is still a matter of dispute. Gilbert 
quotes A. P. Woodward as asserting that the 
whites fired first; a member of Company B, 
named Jont, being the one that fired the first 
shot. A running fight up the Walla Walla val- 
ley ensued. At the mouth of Dry Creek, near 
the present Loudon place, the Indians made a 
brief stand, but being forced from their posi- 
tion they broke again and pressed on hastily 
toward Frenchtown. There spreading across 
the valley they made a determined stand. Here 
Lieutenant J. M. Burrows, of Company H, 
was killed and a number of men were wound- 
ed. Giving way again, the savages retreated 
to the location of the Tillier ranch, and there, 
near the present site of the Frenchtown church, 
the fight was renewed. There Captain Ben- 
nett, of Company F, and Private Kelso, of 
Company A, were killed. 

The soldiers had found an abandoned how- 
itzer at Wallula and this, under charge of Cap- 
tain Wilson, was now brought to bear on the 
enemy. At the fourth discharge the piece 
burst, severely wounding Captain Wilson. 
But the Indians now broke again and fled. 
The fight was over for the time and the soldiers 
camped that night on the field of battle. The 
sp(jt where the severest contest occurred here 
was marked a few years ago by a gathering, 
with appropriate exercises and the raising of a 
flag provided by Mrs. Levi Ankeny; a deeply 
interesting occasion in which veterans of that 
war took great joy. Prominent among these 
were General McAuliff, William Painter, Louis 
McMorris and A. G. Lloyd, all known to 
everyone in Walla Walla. 

During that first day's battle, at about the 
hottest part of the action, Peupeumoxmox and 



68 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



his four companions in captivity l)ecame des- 
perately excited and seemed to be attempting 
to escape. Their guards, by a sort of common 
consent, withdut agreement or orders, began 
firing indiscriminately upon them. Li a minute 
or two all was over and the great "Yellow 
Serpent" with all his companions but one was 
lying dead. The one that was spared was a 
Nez Perce. Only one made resistance. This 
v.-as a powerful Willamette Indian called "Wolf 
Skin," who fought desperately with a knife, 
cutting one of the guards severely, until he was 
dispatched by a blow from the butt of a gun. 
It is asserted by some that the body of Peu- 
peumoxmox was mutilated shamefully. It 
should be said that all the testimony shows that 
the volunteers as a body were in no sense Re- 
sponsible for any atrocities, but treated the In- 
dians in an entirely humane manner. 

This massacre of the Indian captives (if it 
is to be considered as such) has been the sub- 
ject of the most bitter dispute. Some, as Gil- 
bert, have most strongly censured the troops, 
especially on account of the mutilation, as guilty 
of the "infamous acts of soulless men." Others 
have regarded the killing as necessary, on the 
ground that the Indians were trying to escape 
and rejoin their companions; that the battle 
was at a critical point and that self preserva- 
tion justified the killing of the chief whom they 
believed to have been meditating treachery and 
making all the trouble from the beginning. 
Lewis McMorris, who is the only one living 
liere who witnessed the event, tells the writer 
that he believes that "it was either kill them or 
let them escape," and they were apparently just 
on the point of doing the latter. ]\Ir. McMorris 
is confident that no one would have touched 
tliem if they had not tried to escape. Nobody 
now, however, justifies the mutilation of the 
body of the old tV'alla Walla chief, if it was 



really mutilated as asserted. Even Ehvood 
Evans, in the "History of the Pacific North- 
west," written for the express purpose of white- 
washing everything that any volunteer or other 
white man ever did, admits that it was "in bad 
taste" for the troops to mutilate the body of the 
chief. We will not undertake here and now 
to decide the vexed question of the rights and 
wrongs of the Walla Walla chief. The likeli- 
hood is that he or his people did meditate 
treachery, but whatever the plot may have been 
it failed to materialize. It is also probably true 
that some of the volunteers were bitter, intoler- 
ant, excited and very willing for an excuse to 
get rid of the captives. 

On the next day the battle was renewed. 
Colonel Kelly thus describes the events of the 
next twi) (lays, and inasmuch as his official re- 
port thus embraces the essential features of the 
case, we quote it at length. 

" Early on the morning of the 8th, the Indians ap- 
peared with increased forces, amounting to fully six 
hundred warriors. They were posted as usual in the 
thick brush by the river, among the sage brushes and 
sand knolls, and on the surrounding hills. This day 
Lieutenant Pillow, with Company A, and Lieutenant 
Hannon, with Company H, were ordered to take and 
hold the brush skirting the river and the sage bushes on 
the plain. Lieutenant Fellows, with Company F, was 
directed to take and keep the possession of the pomt at- 
the foot of the hill. Lieutenant Jeffries, with Company 
B, Lieutenant Hand, with Company L and Captain Cor- 
noyer, with Company K, were posted on three several 
points on the hills, with orders to maintain them and to 
assail the enemy on other points of the same hills. As 
usual the Indians were driven from their position, al- 
though they fought with skill and bravery. 

" On the 9ih they did not make their appearance un- 
til about ten o'clock in the morning and then in somewhat 
diminished numbers. As I had sent to Fort Henrietta 
for Companies U and E and expected them on the 10th, 
I thought it best to act on the defensive and hold our 
positions, which were the same as on the 8th, until we could 
get an accession to our forces sufficient to enable us to 
assail their rear and cut off their retreat. An attack was 
made during the day on Companies A and H in the 
brushwood, and upon B on the hill, both of which were 
repulsed with great gallantry by those companies and 
with considerable loss to the enemy. Companies F, I and 



i 



HISTORY OF WALLA \\ALLA COUNTY. 



69 



K also did great honor to themselves in repelling all ap- 
proaches to their positions, although in doing so one man 
in Company F and one in Company I were severely 
woundeil. Darkness as usual closed the combat by the 
enemy withdrawing from the field. Owing to the inclem- 
ency of the night, the companies on the hill were with- 
drawn from their several positions, Company B abandon- 
ing its rifle pits, which were made by the men of that 
company for its protection. At early dawn of the next 
day the Indians were observed from our camp to be in 
possession of all points held by us on the preceding day. 
Upon seeing them. Lieutenant McAuliff, of Company B, 
gallantly observed that his company had dug those holes 
and after breakfast they would have them again; and well 
was his declaration fulfilled, for in less than an hour the 
enemy was driven from the pits and fled to an adjoining 
hill which they had occupied ,the day before. This posi- 
tion was at once assailed. Captain Cornoyer, with Com- 
pany K and a portion of Company I, being mounted, 
gallantly charged the enemy on his right flank, while 
Lieutenant I\Ic.'\uliff, with Company B, dismounted, 
rushed up the hill in the face of a heavy fire and scattered 
them in all directions. They at once fled to return to 
this battle field no more, and thus ended our long con- 
tested fight. 

" In making my report I cannot say too much in praise 
of the conduct of the officers of the several companies 
and most of the soldiers under their command. They 
did their duty bravely and well during those four trying 
days of battle. To Second Major Chinn, who took charge 
of the companies in the brush by the river, credit is due 
for bravery and skill; also to assistant Adjutant Monroe 
Atkinson, for his efficiency and zeal as well in the field 
as in the camp. And here, while giving to the officers 
and men of the regiment the praise that is justly due, I 
cannot omit the name of Hon. Nathan Olney, although 
he is not one of the volunteers. Having accompanied me 
in the capacity of Indian agent, I requested him to act a^ 
my aid on account of his admitted skill in Indian warfare, 
and to his wisdom in council and daring courage on the 
battle field, I am much indebted and shall ever appreci- 
ate his worth. 

"Companies I) and E havinsj arrived from Fort 
Henrietta on the evening of the 10th, the next morning I 
followed with all the available troops along the Nez 
Perces' trail in pursuit of the Indians. On Mill creek, 
about twelve miles from here, we passed through their 
village, numbering one hundred and ninety-six fires, 
which had been deserted the night before. Much of their 
provisions was scattered by the wayside, indicating that 
they had fled in great haste to the north. We pursued 
them until it was too dark to follow the track of their 
horses, when we camped on Coppei creek. On the I2th 
we continued the pursuit until we passed some distance 
beyond the stations of Brooke, Noble and Bumford on the 
Touchet, when we found the chase was in vain as many 
of our horses were completely broken down and the men 



on foot. We therefore returned and arrived in camp on 
yesterday evening with about one hundred head of cattle 
which the Indians had left scattered along the trail in 
their flight. 

" On the 11th, while in pursuit of the enemy, I re- 
ceived a letter from Narcisse Raymond, by the hands of 
Tintinmetzy, a friendly chief (which I enclose), asking 
our protection of the French and friendly Indians under 
his charge. 

" On the morning of the 12th, I dispatched Captain 
Cornoyer, with his command, to their relief. Mr. Olney, 
who accompanied them, returned tn camp this evening 
and reports that Captain Cornoyer will return to-morro-w 
with'Mr. Raymond and his people, who now feel greatly 
relieved from their critical situation. Mr. Olney learned 
from these friendly Indians what before we strongly be- 
lieved, that the Falouses, Walla Wallas, L'matillas, Cay- 
uses and Stock Whitley's band of Des Chutes Indians 
were all engaged in the battle on the Walla Walla. These 
Indians also informed Mr. Olney that after the battle the 
Palouses, Walla Wallas and Umatillas have gone partly 
to the Grande Ronde and partly to the country of the 
Nez Perces; and Stock Whitley, disgusted with the 
manner in which the Cayuses fought in the battle, has 
abandoned them and gone to the Yakima country to join 
his forces with those of Kamiakin. We have now the 
undisputed possession of the country south of Snake river 
and I would suggest the propriety of retaining this 
possession until such time as it can be occupied by the 
regular troops. The Indians have left mu::h of their 
stock behind, which will doubtless be lost to us if we go 
away. The troops here will not be in a situation for some 
time to go to the Palouse country, as our horses at present 
are too much jaded to endure the journey, an i we have 
no boats to cross Snake river, no timber to make them 
nearer than this place; but I would suggest the propriety 
of following up the Indians with all possible speed, now 
that their hopes are blighted and their spirits broken. 
Unless this is done, they will perhaps rally again. 

"To-day (December 14, 1855i I received a letter 
from Governor Stevens, dated yesterday, which I en- 
close. You will perceive that he is in favor of a vigorous 
prosecution of the war. With his views I fully concur. 

" I must earnestly ask that supplies be sent forward 
to us without delay. For the last three days none of the 
volunteers, except the two companies from Fort Henri- 
etta, have had any flour. None is here an 1 but little at 
that post. We are now living on beef and potatoes, 
which are found en rdclie, and the men are becoming 
much discontented with this mode of living. Clothing 
for the men is much needed as the winter approaches. 
To-morrow we will remove to a more suitable point, 
where grass can be obtained in greater abundance for 
our worn-out horses. A place has been selected about 
two miles above Whitman station, on the same (north) 
Side of the Walla Walla, consequently I will abandon 
this fort, named in honor of Captain Bennett, of Com- 



^o 



HISTORY OF W.VLLA WALLA COUNTY. 



pany F, who now slftps benealli its stockade, and whose 
career of usefulness and bravery was here so sadly, but 
nobly, closed. 

" Very respectfully your obedient servant, 
' "JAME-S K. KELLY, 
" Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Left Column. 
" W. H. FARRAR, 
" Adjutant of Regiment, O. ^L \' ." 



Tlie winter following the battle of the 
Walla ^\'alla was one of the coldest and most 
trying ever known in this country. The vet- 
erans among the volunteers have left on record 
accounts of their sufferings, which show that 
war in an Indian country was not a picnic in 
those times. The writer has heard the late 
W. C. Painter describe vividly the experience 
of sleeping, or trying to, with scarcely any cov- 
ering and the mercury at twenty below zero. 

Meantime, while these events were occur- 
ring in the Walla Walla and Yakima coun- 
tries, what was Governor Stevens doing? As 
already noted, after having negotiated the 
treaty at \\'alla Walla in June, 1855, he passed 
on to the Blackfoot country where he also ne- 
gotiated a successful treaty. Having reached 
Hellgate, in the present Montana, on his return, 
he was met I)y a detachment of Xez Perce In- 
dians who informed him of the war and of the 
fact that he was thus cut off from any direct 
communication with his government. His own 
official report to the Secretary ni War gives so 
clear and \i\id an account of what followed 
that we reproduce it here. 

"The result of our conference was most 
satisfactory. The whole pnrty. numl>ering 
iourteen men, among whom were Spotted 
Eagle, Looking Glass and Three Feathers, 
principal chiefs among the Xez Perces, ex- 
pressed their determination to accompany me 
and share any danger to be encountered. They 
expressed a desire that after crossing the moun- 
tains I should go to their countrv where a large 



force of their young men would accompany 
me to The Dalles and protect us with their 
lives against any enemy. 

"Having replenished my train with all the 
animals to be had, on November 14th we pushed 
forward, crossed the Bitter Root mountains the 
twentieth, in snow two and a half to three 
feet deep, anti reached the Cceur d'Alene mis- 
sion the twenty-fifth, taking the Coeur d'Alenes 
entirely by surprise. They had not thought it 
possible that we could cross the mountains so 
late in the season. 

"With the Cfieur d'Alenes I held a council, 
ar.d found them much excited, on a 'balance for 
peace or war, and a chance word might turn 
them either way. Rumors of all kinds met us 
here : that the troops had fought a battle with 
the Yakimas and driven them across the Colum- 
bia towards the Spokane, and that the Walla 
Wallas, Cayuses and Umatillas were in arms, 
and that they had been joined by a party of 
Nez Perces. The accumts were of so con- 
tradictory a nature that nothing certain could 
be ascertained from them, excepting that the 
several tribes below were in arms, blocking up 
our road, and liad threatened to cut off my 
]);;rty in any event. However, I determined to 
push to the Spokane. 

"The Spokanes were even more sur])rised 
tl.r.n the Cceur d'.Vlenes on seeing us. Three 
hours before my arrival they had heard that 
I was going to the settlements by way of New 
\'ork. I immediately called a council ; sent to 
Fort Colville for Mr. McDonald in charge of 
that post of the Hudson's Bay Company: sent 
also for the Jesuit fathers at that jioint. They 
arrived. .\ council was held, at which the 
whole Spokane nation was represented. The 
Cceur d'Alenes and Colville Indians also were 
present. 

"The Spokanes and Colville Indians ex'inced 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



71 



extreme liostility of feeling: spoke of the war 
below; wanted it stopped; said the whites were 
wrong. The lielief was current that Peupeu- 
moxmox would cut off my party, as he had re- 
peatedly threatened. They had not joined in 
the war. but yet would make no promise to 
remain neutral. If the Indians now at war 
were (lri\'en into their country they would not 
answer for the consequences ; probably many 
of the Spokanes would join them. After a 
stormy council of several days the Spokanes, 
Oeur d'Alenes and Colvilles were entirely 
conciliated and promised they would reject all 
overtures of the hostile Indians and continue 
the firm friends of the whites. 

"Having added to my party and organized, 
etc., we thence made a forced march to the 
Xez Perce country. Air. Craig had received 
letters which informed me that the whole Walla 
Walla valley was blocked up with hostile In- 
dians, an<l the Xez Perce said it would be im- 
possible to go through. 

"I called a council and proposed to them 
that one hundred and fifty of their young men 
should accompany me to The Dalles. Without 
hesitation they agreed to go. Whilst in the 
council making arrangements for our move- 
ments news came that a force of gallant Oregon 
\i)lunteers, four hundred strong, had met the 
Indians in the Walla Walla valley and after 
fi-ur days hard fighting, having a nuni])er of 
officers and men killed and wounded, had com- 
pletely routed the enemy, driving them across 
Snake river and toward the Nez Perce country. 
The next day I pushed forward, accompanied 
by sixty-nine Xez Perces, well armed, and 
reached Walla Walla without encountering any 
hostile Indians. They had all been driven 
across Snake river below us by the Oregon 
troops. 

"It is now proper to inquire what would 



have been the conditi<in of my party had not 
the Oregon troops \-igorously pushed into the 
field and gallantly defeated the enemy. 

"The country between the Blue moun- 
tains and the Columbia was overrun with In- 
dians, numbering one thousand to tweh-e hun- 
dred warriors, including the force at Priest 
Rapids under Kamaiakun, who had sworn to 
cut me off; it was completely blocked up. One 
effect of the campaign of the regulars and 
volunteers in the Yakima country under Brig- 
adier General Rains, was to drive Kamaiakun 
and his people on our side of the Columbia 
river, and thus endanger our movement from 
tlie Spokane to the Xez Perce country. Thus 
we had been hemmed in by a body of hostile 
Indians through whom we could have (jnly 
forced our way with extreme difficulty and at 
great loss of life. We might all have been 
sacrificed in the attempt. To the opening the 
way to my party, I am solely indebted to the 
Oregon volunteers. Peupeumoxmox, the cel- 
ebrated chief of the Walla Wallas, entertained 
an extreme hostility toward myself and party, 
owing to imaginary wrongs he supposed to 
have been inflicted upon him in the treaty con- 
cluded witli the Cayuses and Walla Wallas last 
June, and had been known repeatedly to 
threaten that I never should reach The Dalles. 
He was the first to commence hostilities by 
plundering Fort Walla Walla and destroying 
a large amount of property belonging to the 
United States Indian Department. * * * 

"At Walla Walla I found some twenty-five 
settlers — the remainder having fletl to The 
Dalles for protection. With these were one 
hundred friendly Indians. Special Indian 
.\gent B. F. Shaw, colonel in the Washington 
Territory militia, was on the ground, and I at 
or.ce organize:! the district, ])laced him in com- 
Uuind and directed him, if necessarv, to fortify, 



72 



HISTORY OF \\^\LLA WALLA COUNTY. 



at all events, to maintain his ground should the 
Oregon troops Ije disbanded before another 
force could take the field. The Nez Perce 
auxiliaries- were disbanded and returned home." 

CHARGES PREFERRED AGAINST GENERAL WOOL. 

"Thus we had reached a place of safety un- 
aitled, excepting by the fortunate movements 
of the Oregon troops. Not a single man had 
been i)ushed forward to meet us, although it 
was well known we should cross the mountains 
about a certain time, and arrive at W'alla 
Walla about the time we did. Why was this? 
Arrangements had been made with Major 
Raines by Acting Governor ^lason, to push 
forward a force under Colonel Shaw to meet 
me at Spokane about the time of my arrival 
there. A company had been enlisted, organized 
ard marched to Fort Vancouver to obtain 
equipments, rations and transportation, which 
Major Raines had promised toth Governor 
Mason and Colonel Shaw should be promptly 
i\ rnished them. Some little delay ensued, and 
in the meantime Major General Wool arrived 
who immediately declineil equipping the com- 
pany, as promised by Major Raines, and stated 
that he could not in any manner recognize vol- 
tniteers or furnish them equipments or trans- 
portation, and declined to supply their place 
with regular troops, of whom, at \'ancouver 
alone, were some three hundred and fifty men." 

Following this description of his journey 
Governor Stevens went on to prefer charges 
of gross negligence on the part of General 
AX'ool. All history abounds in instances of in- 
tense personal feuds and disagreements, but 
our Pacific coast history seems to have been 
especially fruitful in them. That between Gen- 
eral Wool, with some of the officers who echoed 
Ins opinions, the regulars in short on one side, 



and Governor Stevens supported by the vol- 
unteers and the nearly united people of the ter- 
ritory on the other, was peculiarly acrimoni- 
ous. We insert the following extract from 
the report by Governor Stevens to the Secre- 
tary of War : 

"\Mien remonstrated with by Captain Will- 
iam ]kIcKay, in command of the company, to 
push forward to my assistance, when informed 
of the object for which the company was en- 
listed, and that if it was not pushed forward 
a: once, or if some other force was not sent, 
Governor Stevens and his party would be in 
the most imminent danger, the general replied 
that in his opinion the danger was greatly 
exaggerated ; that proliably Governor Stevens 
would be able to protect himself, but if he could 
not, then Governor Stevens could obtain an 
escort from General Harney. 

■'What a reply was that! A moiety of the 
L;dians now in arms had defeated a detach- 
n'.ent nf one hundred United States regulars. 
}ilajur Raines had placed on record his opinion 
tl'.at an insufficient force would be defeated by 
these Indians, and my party was supposed to 
number no more than twenty-five men. Yet 
Major General Wool very coolly says, 'Gov- 
ernor Stevens can take care of himself." So, 
too, in the remark that I could obtain aid from 
General Harney. Did (jeneral Wool know that 
the distance from Fort Benton to the supposed 
position of General Harney was greater than 
the distance from Fort Benton to The Dalles 
and that to obtain aid from him would require 
not less than six months, and that an express 
to reach him must pass through the entire 
breadth of the Sioux? Such ignorance shows 
great incapacity and is inexcusable. 

"Mr. Secretary — Major General Wool, 
commanding the Pacific Division, neglected 
and refused to send a force to the relief of mv- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



73 



self and party, when known to he in imminent 
danger, and ljelie\-ed by tliose who were less 
capable of judging, to be coming on to certain 
death, and this when he had at his command 
an efficient force of regular troops. He re- 
fused to sanction the agreement made between 
Governor Mason ami ^Major Raines for troops 
to be sent to my assistance, and ordered them 
to di.sband. It was reserved for the Oregon 
troops to rescue us. 

"The only demonstration made by Major 
Raines resulted in showing his utter incapacity 
to command in the field. As has heretofore been 
said, his expedition against the Yakimas ef- 
fected nothing but driving the Indians into the 
very country through which I must pass to 
reach the settlements. 

"I therefore prefer charges against General 
Wool. I accuse him of utter and signal in- 
capacity, of criminal neglect of my safety. I 
ask for an investigation into the matter, and 
for his remo\-al from command." 

.And now that we have allowed the gov- 
ernor to tell his own story of the final struggle 
in the Walla Walla, every reader asks, "And 
how did iit come out?" Gilbert pronounces that 
the Indians got all they wanted, and that so, 
the great Walla Walla war of '55 and '56 must 
go down in history as an Indian victory. After 
Stevens had reached The Dalles, Wright went 
back again for a short time to Walla Walla, 
with a force increased by one company. But 
having reached the scene of the council and the 
farewell fight, he held an amicaljle meeting 
with the hostile chiefs and assured them that 
"The bloudy cloth shall lie washed, jiast dif- 
ferences thrown behind us. and perpetual peace 
must e.xist between us." He even went so far 
as to recommend that the Walla Walla treaties 
should never be confirmed. Steptoe, bv Wool's 
orders, issued a proclamation that no whites 



should return to Walla Walla, except Hud- 
son's Bay People and missionaries. Wool, in 
general orders of October 19th, expresses the 
hope that Wright, "warned by what has oc- 
curred, will be on his guard against the whites, 
and prevent further trouble by keeping the 
whites out of the Indian country." But Step- 
toe had got his eyes partly open by the events 
of the season, and a little later he ventured 
t3 suggest that a good, industrious colony be 
permitted to settle in the Walla Walla valley. 
Wool promptly stepped on the suggestion by de- 
claring that "The Cascade range formed, if not 
an impassable barrier, an excellent line of d&- 
fence, a most excellent line of separation be- 
tween two races always at war when in contact. 
To permit settlers to pass The Dalles and occu- 
py the natural reserve is to give up this advan- 
tage, throw down the wall, and advance the 
frontier hundreds of miles to the east, and add 
to the protective labor of the army." 

Governor Stevens did not mince matters in 
summarizing this war and its results. His let- 
ters, both to Wool directly and to the War 
Department, might, without putting too fine a 
point on it, be styled "vitriolic." To the 
fiontiersmen of the country it seemed shameful 
surrender. After the bitter struggle of those 
frigid winters, after all the tedious traversing 
of dusty plains and snowy and precipitous 
mountains, after the lives lost and the many 
wounds received, and especially after the bril- 
liant and well-deserved victories won, then to 
have the regulars step in and rob them of all the 
fruits of victory by a practical capitulation to 
the hostiles — that was a jiretty hard dose for 
Stevens and his constituents. We need not 
blame the governor for some rather strong 
talk. 

Thus at the close of 1856 the Walla Walla 
valley was, by militarx' order, remandeil U> liar- 



74 



HISTORY OF \\^\LLA WALLA COUNTY. 



barism. In 1857 the present Fort Walla Walla 
was established, and a force in charge of Lieu- 
tcnant-ColoneJ Steptoe lay inactive at the fort. 

One thing interesting to note in connection 
Avith mustering out of the xdlunteers is that 
the horses which they had cai)tured on the 
Grande Ronde were sold at such a good price 
as to pay the entire cost of the expedition. 
Sales were for scrip issued by the territory, 
v.hich depreciated hut little. The total amoimt 
of script issued was $1,481,475.45. The gen- 
eral testimony of witnesses of those times is 
that there was a remarkably high morale on 
the ])art of all the \'olunteer forces, and that 
th.is was due \'ery largely to the character, ahil- 
ity, and magnetic influence of \\'ashington's 
first governor, certainly the greatest man in the 
official history of those times. And so there 
Avas "ciuiet in the land hy the space of a year." 
In 1858 the Yakimas became so troublesoms 
that Wright began to conclude that they were 
not such desirable citizens after all. Major 
Garnett was accordingly sent into their country 
with a strong force, and he seized and executed 
a numlier of their chiefs and liraves. killed seven 
hundred of their ponies, and secured quiet at 
last in the land of the sage-lM-ush. 

And now, though uf) battle was to be fought 
again on Walla Walla soil, it was the outfitting 
])oint fnr the most remarkaljle disaster in the 
history of the territtiry, one which, if it had 
not been for the ever faithful Nez Perces, woukl 
])iohal)ly have anticipated the Custer massacre 
i'l completeness and horr^ir. This was the 

STEPTOE DEFE.VT OF 1 858. 

Steptoe set out in May. 1858, to go witli 
two hundred cavalry to the Spokane country, 
though those powerful and independent Indians 
liad warned the troops to keep out, alleging that 



th.ey were neutral and wnuld nut allow either 
Yakimas or whites in their country. Steptoe, 
or more strictly speaking his subordinates, com- 
mitted a most egregious and incom])rehensible 
blunder in starting from Walla Walla. On 
account of the great weight of provisions and 
l>aggage, a brilliant quartermaster ( said to have 
been Lieutenant Fleming) concei\'ed the idea 
of omitting the greater part of the auimnni- 
tioii, by way of lightening the load. .\s Josei:)h 
McEvoy expresses it, the force was beaten be- 
fore it left Walla Walla. 

The expedition was made in ^lay. The 
wild torrent of Snake river was running bank- 
full from the floods of summer as the com- 
mand crossed. Timothy, a chief of the Xez 
Perces, with a few followers, was living then 
at the mouth of the Alpowa, and by his efficient 
aid the soldiers crossed the wicked looking 
stream in good order and good time, and con- 
tinued on their way, the iM'ave old Nez Perce 
accompanying them. 

On May 16th the force reached a point near 
four lakes, prohahly the grou]) of which Medical 
Lake is one, though there seems to be a rather 
curious difference among the survivors as to 
where all this hap])ened. But wherever it was, 
here the Indians gathered in strong force and 
evidently with hostile intentions. Steptoe. re- 
alizing the dangerous odds, decided to return, 
the chief Salteese assuring him that if he would 
retire they would not attack. It is said that 
one of the friendly Nez Perces struck Salteese, 
telling him that he was speaking "two tongues." 

On the next day at nine (/clock as the sol- 
diers were descending a canyon to Pine creek, 
just about where Rosalia is now located, the 
attack was suddenly made. Throughout the 
forenoon the retreat and fight continued. The 
ghastly consec|uences of the blunder about the 
ammiuiition h'egan to stare them in the face as 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY, 



75- 



man after man had to cease firing. Captain 
O. U. P. Taylor and Lieutenant William Gas- 
ton were in command of the rear guard, and 
Avith amazing courage and devotion they kept 
the line intact and foiled all efforts of the In- 
dians to rush through. They sent word to 
Steptoe to halt the line and give them a chance 
to load. But Steptoe deemed it safer to make 
no pause, and soon after those gallant heroes 
fell. A fierce fight raged for possession of 
'tiieir bodies. The Indians secured that of 
Gaston, Ijut a small band of heroes fighting 
like demons got the body of the noble Taylor. 
One notable figure in this death grapple was 
De May, a Frenchman, who had been trained 
in the Crimea and in .\lgeria, and who made 
haviic among the savages with his gun barrel 
used as a sabre. But at last he, too, went down 
before numbers, crying, "Oh, my God, for a 
sabre." 

At night fall they had reached a point said 
to be somewhere on the east flanks of Steptoe 
Lutfe, though there is a difference of opinion 
as to the exact location. Here the disorganized 
and suffering force made camp, threw out a 
picket line for defense, and buried such dead as 
they had not been forced to leave. In order to 
divert the Indians they determined to bury their 
howitzers and leave the balance of their stores, 
hoping that if the Indians made an attack in 
the night they might succeed in stealing away. 
The Indians, however, feeling sure that they 
had the soldiers at their mercy, made no effort 
a: a night attack. There was but one chance 
of salvation, and this was Ijy means f)f a dif- 
ficult trail thmugh a canyon, which the Indians 
supposed to be entirely unknown to the whites. 
But by the good favor of fortune or Providence 
the Xez Perce chief Timothy knew this pass. 
Without him that next day would doubtless 
have seen a grim and ghastlv massacre. Dur- 



ir.g the dark and cloudy night the soldiers 
mounted and in silence followed Timothy over 
the unwatched trail. Michael Kinney, well 
known in Walla Walla, was in charge of the 
rear guard, and is our chief authority for this 
narration. 

The horrors of that night retreat were 
probably never surpassed in the history of In- 
dian warfare in this state. Several of the 
wounded were lashed to pack animals, and were 
thus led away on that dreadful ride. Their 
iiufferings were intense, and two of them, Mc- 
Crossen and Williams, suft'ered so unendurably 
that they writhed themselves loose from their 
lashings and fell to the ground, begging their 
comrades to leave some weapon witli which 
they might kill themseh'es. But the poor 
wretches were left lying there in the darkness. 
During that night they foUow-ed, generally at 
a gallop, the faithful Timothy, on wdiose keen 
eyes and mind their li\es depended. The 
wounded and a few whose horses gave out 
were scattered at intervals along the trail. 
Some of these finally reappeared, but must 
were lost. After twenty-four hours they found 
that thev had ridden se\'entv miles, for the yel- 
low flood of Snake river suddenly broke be- 
fore them between its desolate banks. Here 
the unwearied Timothy threw cut his own peo- 
p'e as guards against the pursuing enemy and 
set the women of his tribe to ferrying the force 
acr(xss the turbulent ri\'er. This was safely ac- 
C(.implished. and thus the greater portion of 
the command reached Walla Walla in satety 
ii-om that ill-starred expedition. 

Indi\idual narratives of experiences on that 
expedition have Ijeen given by men long after 
living in Walla Walla. Among these was John 
Singleton, Sr.. now deceased, who told the 
writer that being without a horse, he crawled 
on his hands and knees during the greater part 



76 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



of two (lays, running at night, until he at hist 
reached Snake river and was put across the 
stream l)y the Nez Perces. His knees and hands 
were worn to the hone. A soldier named 
Snickster reported that he and Williams, rid- 
ing one horse, had reached Snake river, when 
the Indians overtook them and in a spirit of 
grim pleasantry told them that if they could 
swim the river tliey might escape. Plunging 
into the river with their horse, they soon fnund 
the Indian bullets boiling around them. Will- 
iams and the horse were almost immediately 
killed and Snickster, with an arm already 
broken, swam the rest of the way across Snake 
river. This story is told in several ways, and 
Michael Kinney considers it a fabrication. Air. 
Singleton, however, told the writer that he con- 
sidered it as true. Joseph ]\IcEvoy also regards 
it true, though he claims that Williams was 
killed in the battle. It was generally accepted 
as true in early times. But we would doubt the 
possibility of any one, even under the most 
favorable circumstances, swimming Snake 
river in flood time with a broken arm. 

Wright's e.xpedition. 

The se(|uel to the Steptoe defeat furnishes 
a more creditable chapter in the history of our 
Indian warfare. General Clark at once ordered 
Colonel Wright to equip a force of six hundred 
men, proceed to the Spokane country and casti- 
gate the Indians with sufficient severity to set- 
tle the question of sovereignty forever. On 
August 15th Colonel Wright left Walla Walla 
on his northern campaign. In the battle of 
Four Lakes on September ist, and in the liat- 
tle of Spokane Plains on September 51)1. Col- 
orel \\'right broke forever the power and spirits 
of the northern Indians. The severest blow 
which he struck them was the killing of nearly 



a thousantl horses. In his report Colonel 
Wright thus summarized the results of this 
campaign: "i. Two battles were fought by 
the troops under my command against the com- 
Ijined forces of the Spokanes, Coeur d'Alenes 
and Palouses, in both of which the Indians 
were signally defeated, with a severe loss of 
chiefs and warriors, either killed or wounded ; 

2. One thousand horses and a large number 
of cattle were captured from the hostile In- 
dians, all of which were either killed or ap- 
propriated to the ser\-ice of the United States; 

3. Many barns filled with wheat or oats, also 
several fields of grain with munerous caches of 
vegetables, dried berries and camas, were de- 
stroyed or used by the troops; 4. The Yakima 
cl'iief, Owhi, is in irons ; and the notorious 
Vv'ar chief, Oualchen. was hanged : the mur- 
tlerers of the miners, the cattle stealers, etc. 
( in all, eleven Indians), were hanged: 5. The 
Spokanes, Coeur d'Alenes and Palouses have 
been entirely subdued, and have sued most ab- 
jectly for peace on any terms ; 6. Treaties 
have been made with the abo\-e named nations. 
They ha\'e restored all property which was in 
their possession, belonging either to the United 
States or to individuals. They have promised 
tliat all white people can travel through their 
country unmolested, and that no hostile Indians 
shall be allowed to pass through or remain 
among them : 7. The Indians who commenced 
the battle with Lieutenant-Colonel Steptoe con- 
trary to the orders of their chiefs have been 
delivered to the officer in command of the L'ni- 
ted States troops ; 8. One chief and four men, 
with their families, from each of the above 
named tribes, have been delivered to the officer 
ii; command of the United States troops, to be 
taken to fort Walla Walla and held as hostages 
for the future good conduct of their respective 
nations : 9. Tlic two mounted howitzers aban- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUxNTY. 



17 



cluned liy tlie troops under Lieutenant-Colonel 
Steptoe liave been recovered." 

The following words from General Clark's 
report show how completely the policy of Wool 
had been reversed. "Some time since I was 
persuaded that the treaties made by Governor 
Stevens, superintendent of Lulian affairs for 
Washington Territory, with the Indian tribes 
east of the Cascade range, should not be con- 
firmed. Since then circumstances have changed 



and with them my views. The Indians made 
A\ar and were subdued. By the former act 
th.ey lost some of their claims to considera- 
tion; and by the latter the government is en- 
abled and justified in taking such steps as may 
give the best security for the future." 

Thus the land rested at last from strife, 
and no general Indian war thereafter disturbed 
the "Valley of Many Waters." 



CHAPTER VI. 



INDI.-VN WARS OF THE FIFTIES CONTINUED. 



Governor Stevens reached Olympia early 
in January, 1856, and found that the storm of 
war was in full blast from east to west. The 
Sound Indians, aided by the Yakimas, had 
ranged over the greater part of the region 
adjacent to the sound and had killed 
many settlers. Governor Stevens, full of 
courage and resources, roused the dis- 
heartened settlers and set on foot measures 
for saving the territory by the equipment of an 
army of one thousand volunteers, organizing 
forces of friendly Indians, issuing script for 
meeting expenses, seizing necessary stores and 
implements, inducing the settlers to get back 
again upon their farms and plant their crops, 
and sending Secretary Mason to Washington 
to acquaint tlie government with their plight 
and needs. In the very midst of his appeal 
the Indians liy a sudden attack seized Seattle 
and destroyed the most of it. Nevertheless 
llie brave words and acts of the governor 
roused the faint-hearted and the territory speed- 
ily got it.self into a better jxisture of defen.se 
and finally of attack. The Washington volun- 



teers were equipped and the Second Regiment, 
under command of Colonel B. F. Shaw, started 
in the summer of 1856 for Walla Walla. 

Meanwhile the Oregon volunteers had been 
spending that dismal winter and spring at 
Vvalla Walla and vicinity. The first American 
fort of the regular army at Walla Walla was 
laid out on the location of McBride's stable, 
on^e of the old log buildings remaining there 
until a few years ago. The volunteers camped 
at a later time higher up the creek near the 
present location of the ranch of Patrick Lyons. 

During the spring Colonel Kelly returned 
to Portland, leaving Colonel T. R. Cornelius in 
command. The detachment set forth from 
their camp on J^Iill creek on March loth and 
proceeded to the Yakima country, meeting and 
dispersing the Indians whom they met there, 
and then passing on to the Columbia : they re- 
turned to Oregon and disbanded. They had 
rendered signal service, having broken up the 
Indi.-in forces of both the Walla Walla and 
Yakima countries. 

A\'hile tliev were doing this one of the most 



78 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



daring blows struck In- any of the Indians fell 
upon the settlers up and down the Columbia, 
near the Cascades. The famous old block 
house there is a souvenir of that epoch. As- 
sociatetl with it also is the memory of the fact 
that Pliil Sheridan fought there one of his first 
battles, distinguished, as he later was, for dare- 
devil courage and impetuosity. That Cascades 
disaster was one of the most cruel and severe 
that the settlements had suffered. 

The L'nited States troops at that time made 
The Dalles their chief headquarters and the 
force there had their hands full with wars and 
rumors of wars from ^^'alla Walla. Yakima 
and the Cascades. The ofificers more especially 
concerned with the campaign on the east side 
or the mountains were Colonel Wright, Colonel 
Steptoe and Major Raines. It is to be remem- 
bered that there were three distinct forces op- 
■erating in the country, \\z. — L'nited States 
regulars, Oregon \-olunteers and W'ashington 
volunteers. Governor Curry, of Oregon, and 
Governor Stevens, of Washington, were in en- 
tire harmony, believing alike in a vigorous 
prosecution of the war, but the L'nited States • 
forces were entirely aloof from them in sym- 
jiathy of aim and action. 

We have already outlined the achievements 
of the Oregon volunteers. In May Colonel 
Wright mo\-ed from The Dalles to Yakima. 
There he found a force of twelve hundred or 
more defiant Indians, whose evident strength 
seems to have led Colonel Wright to crave 
peace without a battle. He shaped his policies 
in the direction of acceding to the demand of 
the Indians that he withdraw from the country 
and exclude settlers therefrom. 

In July the Second Regiment of \\'ashing- 
ton volunteers, under Colonel B. F. Shaw, 
moved up the river and on July 8th camped on 
tlie place now owned liy the heirs of Alfred 



Thomas, about two miles above A\'alla \\'alla. 
Learning that the hostiles were in force in the 
Grande Ronde valley. Colonel Shaw determined 
to move thither and strike. Pushing rapidly 
o\-er the mountains he encountered the savages 
on July 17th. and in the most decisive battle 
thus far fought he scattered them in all direc- 
tions. The excellent Life of Governor Stevens, 
by his son, Hazard Stevens, contains a pictur- 
esque account of how Colonel Shaw, with his 
long, red beard and hair streaming in the wind, 
swept down like a hurricane upon the foe and 
drove them fifteen miles, clear across the valley. 
Colonel Shaw's own version is so clear and 
vivid that we believe our readers will enjoy its 
perusal. Alore clearly than any present de- 
scription could, this account preserves the flavor 
of the time in which it happened; that time, 
which, only forty-five years ago, seems so re- 
mote from our own. 

BATTLE OF GR.\XDE ROXDE, JULY IJ. 1 856. 

"\\'e arrived in the Grande Ronde valley on 
the evening of the sixteenth, and camped on 
a branch of the (irande Ronde river in the tim- 
ber, sending spies in advance who returned and 
reported no fresh sign. On the morning of the 
seventeenth, leaving Major Blankenship, of the 
Central, and Captain Miller, of the Southern 
battalions, assisted by Captain DeLacy. to take 
up the line of march for the main valley. I pro- 
ceeded ahead to reconnoitre, accompanied by 
Major Maxon, Michael ]vlarchmean. Captain 
John and Dr. I'.urns. After proceeding about 
fi\-e miles we ascended a knoll in the valley from 
which we disco\ere(l dust rising along the tim- 
ber of the river. I immediately sent INIajor 
Maxon and Captain John forward to recon- 
noitre and returned to luuTy up the command 
w hich was not far distant. The command was 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 79 

ii'stantlv formed in order; Captain Miller's and on our moving forward the enemy fled after 

company in advance, supported by Maxon, firing a few guns, part taking to the left and 

Henness and Powell's companies : leaving the part continuing forward. 

pack train in charge of the guard under Lieu- "Those who took to the left fell in with 

tenant. Goodwin, with a detachment of Goff's Capitain Miller's company, who killed five on 

comi)anv under Lieutenant Wait, and Lieuten- the spot and the rest were not less successful 

ant Williams" company in reserve with orders in the pursuit, which was continued to the 

ti) follow on after the command. crossing of the ri\'er, where the enemy had' 

"The whole command moved on quietly to ti'ken a stand to defend the ford. Being here 

this order until within half a mile of the Indian rejoined by Captain Miller and by Lieutenant 

village, when we discovered that the pack train Curtis with part of Maxon's company, we fired 

had moved to the left, down the Grande Rnmle a volley and I ordered a charge across the river, 

river. At this moment a large body of war- which was gallantly executed. In doing this 

riors came forward, singing and whooping, and Private Shirley, ensign of Henness' company, 

one of them waving a white man's scalp on a who was in front, was wounded in the face, 

pole. One of them signified a desire to speak. Several of the enemy were killed at this point, 

whereupon I sent Captain John to meet him We continued the pursuit until the enemy had 

and formed the command in line of battle, reached the rocky canyons leading towards 

When Captain John came up to the Indians Powder river, and commenced scattering in 

the}- cried out to one another to shoot him, every direction, when finding that I had but five 

when he retreated to the command and I or- nien with me. and the rest of the command 

dered the four companies to charge. scattered in the rear, most of the horses being 

"The design of the enemy evidently was to completely exhausted — I called a halt and fell 

draw us into the brush along the river, where back, calculating to remount the men on the 

from our exposed position they would have the captured horses and continue the pursuit after 

advantage — they no doubt ha\-ing placed an night. 

ambush there. To avoid this, I charged down "I found the pack train, guard and re- 
the river towards the pack train. The war- serve encamped on a small creek not far from 
riors then split, part going across the river the crossing, as I had previously ordered them 
and part down toward the pack train. These to do, and learned that a body of the enemy 
were soon overtaken and engaged. Tlie charge had followed them up all day and annoyed 
was vigorous and so well sustained that they them, but had inllicted no damage beyond cap- 
were broken, dispersed and slain before us. turing many of the animals which we had taken 
After a short time I sent Captain Miller to in charge and left behind. 
the left and },Iajor :\Ia.xon to the right, the "I learned also that Major Maxon had 
latter to cross the stream and cut them off from crossed the ri\er with a small jjarty and was 
a point near which a large body of warriors engaged with the enemy and wanted assist- 
had collected, apparently to fight, while I moved ance. I immediately dispatched a detachment 
forward with the commands of Captain Hen- inider Lieutenants Williams and Wait, sending 
ness and Lieutenant Powell to attack them in (he man who brouglit the information back 
front. The Major could not cross the river, with them as a guide. Thcv returned after 



8o 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



dark witliout tinding tlie major, but brouglit in 
one of his men whom they found in the brush, 
and who stated tliat one of the major's men 
was killed and that the last he saw of them 
they were fighting with the Indians. At day- 
light I sent out Captain IMiller with seventy 
men, who scouted around the whole valley with- 
out finding him, but who unfortunately had 
one man killed and another wounded whilst 
pursuing some Indians. I resolved to remove 
camp the next day to the head of the valley, 
where the emigrant trail crosses it and con- 
tinue the search until we became certain of 
their fate. The same evening I took sixty men 
under Captain Henness and struck upon the 
mountains and crossed the heads of the canyons 
to see if I could not strike his trail. Finding 
no sign, I returned to the place where the major 
had last been seen, and there made search in 
different directions and finally found the body 
of one of his men (Tooley) and where the 
major had encamped in the brush. From other 
signs it became evident to me that the major 
had returned to this post by the same trail by 
which we first entered the valley. 

"Being nearly out of provisions, and unable 
to follow the Indians from this delay, I con- 
cluded to return to camp, recruit for another 
expedition in conjunction with Captain Goff, 
who had, I presumed, returned from his ex- 
pedition to the John Day's river. 

"I should have mentioned previously that 
in the charge the command captured and after- 
w^ards destroyed about one hundred and fifty 
horse loads lacamas, dried beef, tents, some 
flour, coffee, sugar, and al)out one hundred 
pounds of ammunition and a great quantity of 
tools and kitchen furniture. We took also 
about two hundred horses, most of which were 
shot, there l)eing but about one hundred ser- 
viceable animals. 



"There were present on the ground from 
what I saw, and from information received 
from two squaws taken prisoners, about three 
liundred warriors of the Cayuse, Walla Walla, 
Umatilla, Tyh, John Day and Des Chutes 
tribes, commanded by the following chiefs: 
Stock Whitley and Simmistastas, Des Chutes 
and Tyh ; Chickiah, Plyon, W' icecai, Watah- 
siuartih, Winimiswoot, Ca3-uses, Tahkin, Cay- 
use, the son of Peupeumoxmox, Walla Walla 
and other chiefs of less note. 

"The whole command, officers and men, be- 
liaved well. The enemy was run on the gallop 
fifteen miles, and most of those who fell were 
s!-.()t with the revolver. It is impossible to 
state how many of the enemy were killed. 
Twenty-seven bodies were counted by one in- 
dividual, and many others were known to have 
fallen and been left, but were so scattered 
al)out that it was impossible to get count of 
them. When to these we added those killed by 
^iajor Maxon's command on the other side of 
the river, we may safely conclude that at least 
forty of the enemy were slain and many went 
off wounded. When we left the valley there 
was not an Indian in it, and all the signs went 
to show that they had gone a great distance 
from it. 

"On the twenty-first instant we left the val- 
ley Iiy the emigrant road and commenced our 
return to camp. During the night Lieutenant 
Hunter, of the Washington Territory volun- 
teers, came into camp with an express from 
Captain Goff'. I learned to my surprise that 
the captain and Major Layton had seen Indians 
on John Day's river, had followed them over 
to Burnt river and had a fight with them, in 
which Lieutenant Eustus and one private were 
killed, and some seven Indians. They were 
shaping their course for the Grande Ronde 
valley and had sent for provisions and fresh 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



horses. I immediately sent Lieutenant Will- 
iams back with all my spare provisions and 
horses and continued my march. On Wild 
Horse creek I came across Mr. Fites, a pack 
n-.aster who had been left in camp, who in- 
formed me, to my extreme satisfaction, that 
Major Maxon and his command had arrived 
safe in camp and were then near us with pro- 
visions and ammunition. These I sent on im- 
mediately to Captain Goff. 

"1 learned that Major !\Iaxon had been at- 
tacked in the valley by a large force of Indians 
on the day of the fight : had gained the brush 
and killed many of them; that at night he 
tried to find our camp and hearing a noise like 
a child crying, probably one of the captured 
snuaws, had concluded that my command had 
gone on to Powder river and that the Indians 
had returned to the valley by another canyon. 
He moved his position that night and the next 
day saw the scout looking for him, but in the 
distance thougbt that it was a band of Indians 
hunting his trail. Conceiving himself cut off 
from tlie command, he thought it best to re- 
turn to this camp, thinking that we would l)e 
on our way back to Grande Ronde with pro- 
visions and ammunition." 

\\ hile Shaw was winning this ver\' impi>rt- 
ant victory, Go\-erjior Stevens was making 
every eft'ort to sustain the friendly faction of 
the Xez Perces under Lawyer, aided by Will- 
iam Craig, a white man wlio had been adopted 
by the Xez Perce tribe and who had been one 
of the greatest factors in sustaining Governor 
Stevens. To hold the Walla Walla country 
seemed to the governor the key of the situation, 
because thus only could he come in touch with 
these faithful Nez Perces. The moral effect 
of Shaw's victory proved so great that the gov- 
ernor decided to go in person to Walla Walla 
to hold another great council of the friendly 



and neutral tribes and to get as many as possible 
of the hostiles to attend the same. He seems 
t') ha\e had the double aim of giving the hos- 
tiles e\'ery reasonable chance to make peace and 
also of refuting the slanderous charges of 
Wool to the eft'ect that he was treating the 
hostiles cruelly and dishonestly. On August 
3d he urgently advised Colonel Wright to es- 
tablish a permanent garrison in the Walla 
Walla valley and requested also that he meet 
him in conference at The Dalles on September 
14th. He also called out two hundred more 
\-olunteers to take the place of Shaw's force, 
whose term had expired. 

And so Governor Stevens set forth again 
on another of those harrassing, exhaustive and 
dangerous expeditions to which fate seemed to 
have appointed him. Reaching Vancouver on 
August 13th, he met Colonel Wright, who in- 
formed him that he could not attend the pro- 
posed council, but would dispatch Lieutenant 
Colonel Steptoe with four companies of regu- 
lars to reach \\'al!a Walla in season for the 
meeting. 

Ascending the river to The Dalles in com- 
pany with Colonel W^right, and while there 
meeting the chief officers of the command. Gov- 
ernor Stevens, with the ardor and enthusiasm 
of his nature, and with his personal ascendency 
over men, so influenced them that for the time 
being he seemed to have won them over entirely 
to hearty co-nperatinn with him in his plans. 
In reality, however, tliev were at that very 
time under orders from General Wool to dis- 
band the volunteers and expel them from the 
country and to forbid white settlers to remain 
;ni\-where in the n])]icr country, and to allow 
tlie Hudson's Bay ])Co])le only to occupy it. 
Wool's idea was to make the Cascade moun- 
tains the eastern frontier of American settle- 
ment ; a very wooly idea, if one may be par- 



82 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



donetl such a decrepit i)leasantry. Wright and 
Steptoe were ahnost guilty of dishonesty in 
allowing the gallant governor to proceed into 
the heart of the Indian country with such an 
erroneous impression of their real orders. 
Leaving The Dalles on August 19th the in- 
defatigable little governor pushed on ahead of 
Steptoe. attended only by Pearson, a trusty 
scout, and with no escort except the "Bull- 
punchers" of his ox train, he reached Shaw's 
camp, two miles above \\'alla ^^'alla, on the 
•23d. On September 5th. .Steptoe reached 
\\'alla ^^'alla and established himself at a point 
four miles below Shaw's camp, said by Lewis 
Mc^Iorris to have been at the present garri- 
son. The next day came Lawyer with a large 
force of Xez Perces, faithful still. 

Governor Stevens was exceedingly anxious 
to have perfect harmony of action with the reg- 
ulars and thereby present a united front to the 
enemy, manv of whom had drawn the cnn- 
ciusion that the regulars and volunteers were 
entirely different sets of people. He therefore 
requested Steptoe to move camp to a point near 
his own. On tb.e next morning Steptoe got un- 
der way and paused at the governor's tent, 
who supposed of course that he w-as going to 
make camp there. He was dum founded, as 
he well may have been, to discover that Step- 
toe was passing on from sight up the valley. 
This was the more startling, for on account 
of a report that volunteers below were being 
attacked, Shaw had gone down leaving Stevens 
with but ten men. However, it had now be- 
come necessary for Shaw and his force to leave 
permanently, and with this in \iew the gov- 
ernor requested Steptoe to return to his near 
vicinity; incredible as it may seem, Steptoe de- 
clined to do so, alleging that General Wool's 
orders did not authorize him to make any such 
arrangements. The governor, though it must 



have made his hot blood boil, had to retain 
a detachment of sixty-nine men and left Steptoe 
to his own devices, at a camp which was on 
tlie island on the present Gilkerson place. 
And now opens 

THE SECOND GRE.\T W.\LLA W.\LL.\ COUNCIL. 

Space does not permit us to gi\-e the de- 
tails of this remarkable meeting, fully as re- 
n^arkable as the one of the year before. The 
Kez Perces were in large force at first, and the 
faction under Lawyer was fully committed to 
the support of the whites. But a large num- 
ber, e\en of the Xez Perces, led by Looking 
Glass,' Speaking Owl, Joseph, Red Wolf and 
Eagle-from-the-Liglit, were plainly at the \'erge 
of outbreak. Kamiakain, the redoubtable chief 
of the Yakimas, was coming out with a strong 
force. The scrowling Cayuses and the brawny 
Umatillas came whooping, 3-elling and firing 
the prairie grass. ]\Iurder was in the air. Gov- 
ernor Stevens sent an urgent re(iuest to Step- 
toe to come to the council with at least one 
company. Steptoe returned an answer to the 
effect that if the Indians were reall}- meditating 
an outbreak he had not enough force to defend 
both camps, and therefore he deemed it neces- 
sary for Stevens to move to him. instead of he 
to Stevens. The heart of the fiery go\-ern()r 
was almost broken at this humilialinn. hut he 
had to yield to necessity, and he adjourned the 
council to Steptoe's camp. On the march 
Kamiakain and Owhi, with one hundred and 
five warriors under the immediate command of 
Cualchen, the murderer of Bolon, met them. 
The fierce and threatening lt)oks of these Yaki- 
ma braves did not reassure the little force and 
things looked exceedingly squally. On every 
day of the council but the first. Indians, armed 
to the teeth, took places near the governor, 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY, 



83 



whh tlie evident design of murdering him and 
tl'.en attacking the force. Ixit tlie nerve and 
vigilance of tlie governor and those around him 
prevented. The faithful Nez Perces kept their 
drums heating all nigh.t and maintained a guard 
around Stevens" camp. As remarked before, 
the debt of gratitude to these Nez Perces is be- 
yond computation. One of the remarkable 
features of the last days of the council was the 
speech of Spotted Eagle, a Nez Perce, and one 
Of the warm adherents of the whites. Gov- 
ernor Stevens mentioned this speech as one 
which, for feeling, courage and truth, he had 
never seen surpassed. 

And now the council was ended, and what 
had been accomplished ? Nothing. They stood 
just where they were at first. Half the Nez 
Perces were determined to stand by the treaty, 
the other half not. All the other tribes were 
hostile. The governor repeated to them the 
terms of peace alone possible : "They must 
throw aside their gims and submit to the justice 
and mercy of the government, but as they were 
invited under safe conduct, they were safe in 
■coming, safe in council, and safe in going." 

Governor Stevens naturally felt disap- 
pointed at the failure of his hopes, but hav- 
ing done all that man could do he had no cause 
to reproach himself. Whatever impediments 
had fallen in his way were due to the position 
of General Wool and the officers who felt com- 
pelled to echo his opinions. It may very prop- 
erly be said here that \\'right and Steptoe dis- 
covered their errors soon and modified their 
lK)iicy. Wool ne\er did and in the early part 
of 1857 he was relieved of his command and 
was succeeded by General N. G. Clarke, who 
gave, as we shall learn later, a "new deal" to 
the impatient pioneers of Walla \\'alla and 
Other parts of the Inland Empire. 

And now the governor and his retinue must 



mi)\-e again westward. It must needs be that 
another battle be fought. Governor Stevens' 
own official report is the best summary of his 
return and of this last battle in Walla Walla: 

"So satisfied was I that the Indians would 
c;.rry into effect their determination a\'owed in 
the councils in their own camps for several 
nights previously to attack me, that in starting 
I formed my whole party and moved in order 
of battle. I moved on under fire one mile to 
water, when forming a corral of the wagons 
and holding the adjacent hills and the brush 
on the stream by pickets, I made my arrange- 
ments to defend my position and fight the In- 
dians. Our position in a low open basin five 
or six hundred yards across (he was attacked 
on what is now known as Charles Russell's 
ranch) was good, and with the aid of our corral 
we could defend ourselves against a vastly su- 
perior force of the enemy. 

"The fight continued till late in the night. 
Two charges were made to disperse the Indians, 
the last led by Lieutenant-Colonel Shaw in per- 
son with twenty-four men; but, whilst driving 
before him some one hundred and fifty Indians, 
an equal number pushed into his rear, and he 
was compelled to cut his way through them 
towards camp, when drawing up his men, and 
aided by the teamsters and pickets who gal- 
lantly sprang forward, he drox'e the Indians 
back. in full charge upon the corral. Just be- 
fore the charge the friendly Nez Perces, fifty 
i.i number, who had been assigned to hokl the 
ridge on the south side of the corral, were told 
by the enemy they came not to fight the Nez 
Perces but the whites. 'Go to your camp,' 
said they, 'or we will wipe it out." Their camp, 
with the women and children, was on a stream 
about a mile distant and I directed them to re- 
tire as I did not rerpiire their assistance and 
was fearful that mv men might not be able to 



84 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



distinguish tliem from liostiles, and thus friend- 
ly Indians he killed. 

"Tt)\vards night I notifietl Lieutenant-Col- 
onel Steptoe that I was fighting the Indians; 
that I should move the next morning and ex- 
pressed the opinion that a company of his troops 
would he of service. In his reply he stated that 
the Indians had hurned up his grass and sug- 
gested that I should return to his camp, and 
place at his disposal my wagons, in order that 
lie might move his whole command and his 
supplies to the L'matilla or some other point, 
where sustenance could be found for his ani- 
mals. To this arrangement I assented and 
Lieutenant-Colonel Steptoe sent to my camp 
Lieutenant Davidson, with detachments from 
the companies of dragoons and artillery with 
a mounted howitzer. They reached my camp 
about two o'clock in the morning, everything 
in good order and most of the men at the corral 
asleep. A picket had been driven in an hour 
and a half before by the enemy, that on the hill 
south of the corral, but the enemy was im- 
mediately dislodged and ground pits being dug, 
all the points were held. The howitzer having 
bten fired on the way out, it was believed noth- 
ing would be gained by waiting tUl morning 
and the whole force immediately returned to 
Lieutenant-Colonel Steptoe's camp. 

"Soon after sunrise the enemy attacked the 
camp, but w^as soon dislodged by the howitzer 
and a charge by detachment from Steptoe's 
command. On my arrival at the camp I urged 
Lieutenant-Colonel Steptoe to build a block 
house immediately; to leave one company to 
defend it with all his supplies, then to march 
below and return with an additional force and 
additional supplies, and by a vigorous winter 
campaign to whip the Indians into submission. 
I placed at his disposal for the building my 



teams anti hulian employes. The block hou>e 
and stockade were built in a little more than 
ten days. My Indian store room was rebuilt 
at one corner of the stockade. 

"On the 23d day of September we started 
for The Dalles, which we reached on the 2d of 
October. Nothing of interest occurred on the 
road. 

"In the action of the 19th, my whole 
force consisted of Gofif's company of sixty- 
nine, rank and file, the teamsters, herders and 
Indian employes, numbering about fifty men. 
(3ur train consisted of about five hundred ani- 
mals, not one of which was captured by the 
enemy. We fought four hundred and fifty 
Indians and had one man mortall}', one dan- 
gerously and two slightly wounded. We 
killed and wounded thirteen Indians. One- 
half the Xez Perces, one hundred and twenty 
warriors, all of the Yakimas and Palouses, 
tw(j hundred warriors: the great bulk of the 
Cayuses and L'matillas and an unknown num- 
ber of the \\'alla Wallas and Indians from 
other bands were in the fight. The principal 
war chiefs were the son of Ouhi, Isle de 
Pere and Chief Ouoltomee; the latter of 
whom had two horses shot under him. and 
who showed me a letter from Colonel Wright 
acknowledging his valuable services in bring- 
ing about the peace of the Yakimas. 

"I have failed, therefore, in making the 
desired arrangements with the Indians in the 
Walla Walla, and the failure, to be attrib- 
uted in part to the want of co-operation with 
me as superintendent of Indian affairs on the 
part of the regular troops, has its causes also 
in the wlmle plan of operations of the troops 
since Colonel \\'right assumed command. 

"The Xez Perces, entirely friendly last 
December and January, became first disaf- 



HISTORY OF WALLA ^^^•\LLA COUNTY. 



85 



fected in consequence of the then chief of the 
Cayuses. L'mehowiish, and the friendly Cay- 
uses going into the Nez Perce country con- 
trary to my positive orders. I refused to 
allow them to go there in December last, say-i 
ing to them : T have ordered the Nez Percen 
to keep hostiles out of the country. If you 
go there your friends in the war party will 
come; they cannot be kept out. Through 
them disaffection will spread among a portion 
of the Xez Perces.' Umehowlish, my pris- 
oner, was sent into the Xez Perce country 
by Colonel Wright, and from the time of his 
arrival there all the efforts made by Agent 
Craig to prevent the spread of disaffection 
were abortive. What I apprehended and 
predicted had already come to pass. Look- 
ing Glass, the prominent man of the lower 
Nez Perces, endeavored to betray me on the 
Spokane as I was coming in from the Black- 
foot council, and I was satisfied from that 
time that he was only awaiting a favoraI)le 
moment to join bands with Kamaiakun in a 
w'ar upon the whites, and Colonel Wright's 
management of affairs in the Yakima fur- 
nished the opportunity. 

"The war was commenced in the Yakima 
on our part in consequence of the attempt 
first to seize the murderers of the agent Bo- 
lon and the miners who had passed through 
their country; and, second, to punish the trilje 
for making common cause with them and 
driving Major Haller out of the country. It 
is greatly to be deplored that Colonel Wright 
had ni;)t first severely chastised the Indians, 
and insisted not only upon the rendition of 
the murderers, but upon the absolute and un- 
cfMiditional submission of the whole tribe to 
the justice and mercy of the government. 
The long delavs which occurred in the Ya- 



kimas, the talking and not fighting, this at- 
tempt to pacify the Indians and not reducing 
them to submission, thus giving safe conduct 
to murderers and assassins and not seizing 
them for summary and exemplary punish- 
ment, gave to Kamaiakun the whole field of 
the interior, and l)y threats, lies and prom- 
ises he has brought into the combination one- 
half of the Nez Perce nation, and the least 
thing may cause the Spokanes, Cceur d'Alenes, 
Coh-illes and Okanogans to join them. 

'T state boldly that the cause of the Nez 
Perces becoming disaffected and finally going 
into war, is the operations of Colonel Wright 
east of the Cascades — operations so feeble, 
so procrastinating, so entirely unequal to the 
emergency, that not only has a most severe 
blow been struck at the credit of the gov- 
ernment and the prosperity and character of 
tliis remote section of the country, but the 
impression has been made upon the Indians 
that the people and the soldiers were a dif- 
ferent people. I repeat to you officially that 
when the Indians attacked me, they expected 
Colonel Steptoe would not assist me, and 
when they awoke from their delusion, Kama- 
iakun said, T will now let these people know 
who Kamaiakun is." One of the good effects 
of the fight is, that the Indians have learned 
that we are one people, a fact which had not 
previously been made apparent to them by 
the operations of the regular troops. 

"Is, sir, the army sent here to protect our 
people and punish Indian tribes, who without 
cause and in cold blood, and in spite of sol- 
emn treaties, murder our people, burn our 
houses and wipe out entire settlements? Ir, 
it the duty of General Wool and his officers 
to refuse to co-operate with me in my appro- 
priate duties as sui)erintendent of Indian af- 



86 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



fairs, and thus practically to assume those issue edicts prohibiting settlers returning tO' 

duties themselves? Is it the duty of General their claims, and thus for at least one county 

Wool, in his schemes of pacifying the Indians, ■ — the Walla Walla — make himself dictatnr of 

to trample dmvn the laws of Congress; to the country ?"' 



CHAPTER VII. 



DEFINITE ORGAXIZATION OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY AND POLITICAL HISTORY, 

1859 TO 1863. 

It was not until the autumn of Ihe yeat lands along the various streams as far north- 
1858 that the Walla Walla country was for- east as the present site of Dayton, located 
mally opened to permanent settlement or oc- on the Touchet river, in Columbia county, 
cupation by white men, and even yet it was Walla \\'alla county was as yet hobbling 
not until the following spring that Congress along with essentially no political organiza- 
ratified the Indian treaties made through the tion. as has been noted in a precetling chai)- 
efforts of Governor Stevens in 1855. The ter. The legislature, however, made another 
Indians were, however, in a state of subjec- effort to look after the destinies of this ter- 
tion and fear, owing to the successful work ritorial offspring, and in 1859, under an act 
of Colonel George \\'right in his recent ex- bearing date of January 19th of that year, 
peclition directed against the hostile savages once more appointed officers to ser\'e the 
in this section of the territory. This circum- ccnmty, the incumbents to retain their posi- 
stance made it ])racticable for the white set- tions until the election and (jualification of 
tiers to come in and occupy the lands. A their successors. The oflicers thus appointed 
number of ranchers and cattle men soon es- \\'ere as follows: County commissioners, 
tablished themselves along the streams run- John Mahan, Walter R. Davis, John C. Smith ; 
ning forth from the western base of the Blue sheriff, Edward D. Pearce; auditor. R. H. 
mmmtains. Among those who thus located I'veighart: probate judge, Samuel D. Smith; 
in this section during the ckxsing months of justice of the peace, J. A. Simms. Commis- 
1858 may be mentioned Thomas P. Page, sioners ]\lalian and Davis met at Walla \\';illa 
James Foster, Charles Russell, J. C. Smith, on the 15th of }ilarch, 1859, and, as author- 
Christopher ^laier, John Singleton, John A. ized by the general law of the territory, ap- 
Simms and Joseph .McAvoy, all of whom pointed James Cialbreath auditor and Lycur- 
long continued iheir residence there, being gus Jackson sheriff, after which they ad- 
well-known ])ii)neers. Mr. Simms subse- journed. 1. T. Reese was elected recorder 
cjuently became Indian agent at the Colville in the following July, and upon him devolved 
reservation, where he served acceptably. The the duty of properly entering upon the rec- 
year 1859 showed a materia! influx of per- orils the minutes of the proceedings of this 
manent settlers, ranchers filing claims to first, as well as subsecjuent meetings, of the 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



»7 



commissioners. The secoiul meeting of the 
board was held on tlie J6th of March, when 
E. H. I'rown was appointed probate judge; 
Lycurgus Jaci<son, assessor ; Neil McGlin- 
chey, county treasurer; and Wihiam B. Kelly, 
superintendent of public schools. At this 
session of the lioard was also made provision 
for a general election, to be held in July, for 
which purpose the county was divided into 
two voting i)recincts, — known respectively as 
Drv Creek precinct and Steptoeville precinct. 
In the former the polling place designated 
was the residence of J. C. Smith, the judges 
being E. Bonner, J. ^l. Craigie and William 
Fink. Many were advocating the name of 
Steptoeville as the appellation for the county- 
seat, and for this precinct the balloting was 
to be done at the church in "Steptoeville." 
The election judges for this latter precinct 
were J. A. Simons, William B. Kel'y and 
William McWhirk, while to Thomas Hughes 
were assigned the duties of clerk, and under 
such official supervision was duly held the sec- 
ond election in Walla Walla county, the first 
having been held in 1855. 

The original board of commissioners met 
again jjrior to the election, their session hav- 
ing been held on the 6th of June, at Steptoe- 
ville. -At this time were arrangements made 
for the renting uf a conrt-house, for which 
accommodations the stupendous sum of 
twenty dollars per month was to be paid, 
while a tax le\'y of seven mills on the dollar 
was also made. At a meeting held on the 
2d of July, the commissioners accepted the 
resignation of James Gallireath, county audi- 
tor, appointing as his successor in the office 
Augustus Von Hinkle. At this meeting the 
name of Steptoeville was changed to Waii- 
latpu. 

Of ihe election held in July, 1859, no rec- 



ords are e.xtant, but that it occurred in due 
order is evident, for on the 5th of September 
following the new l)oard of commissioners 
assembled and by ballot determined their re- 
spective terms of service, — Charles Russell, 
one year; John ^Nlahan, two years; and Will- 
liam AlcWhirk, three years. The records 
of this meeting gi\'e the essential data in re- 
gard to the election, which, as above noted, 
had occurred, though no definite record of 
the same can n(_iw be fnund. The county offi- 
cers, therefore, whose bonds were ajjproved 
at this session of the board were as follows: 
.Auditor, I. T. Reese; sheriff, Lycurgus Jack- 
son; treasurer, Ne 1 AlcGlinchey; assessor, 
Thomas P. Page; surveyor, PL H. Case; jus-i 
tice of the peace, J. M. Canaday. To Mr. 
Reese was voted the sum of forty dollars per 
month for the rent of court-house. 

THE COUNTY SE.\T VILLAGE OF W.\LL.\ W.VLLA 

RECEIVES ITS NAME. 

The \-illage of Walla Walla was so desig- 
n;ited by the county commissioners at their 
meeting on November 7, '1859, and there was 
simultaneously granted to it a town go\'ern- 
ment. Here also was formally established the 
coimty-seat. — a due (|uota of glory antl hom^r 
for one day. The great fire which occurred 
ill 1865 destroyed many valuable records touch- 
ing the early political affairs of the county, 
such as election returns, assessment rolls, etc. 

THE ELECTION OF 1860. 

.\t a meeting held on the 7th of May, 
iXC)!), the county commissioners jilaced the tax 
le\-y for the _\-ear at se\-en mills on the di)llar, 
anil preparatory for the election in July fol- 
lowing divided the comity into f\\c voting 



88 



HISTORY OF \\'ALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



districts. — Walla \\'alla. Dry Creek. Snake 
Ri\er. East Touchet and West Touchet. At 
this election there was submitted to the peo- 
ple the (|uestion as to whether or not a tax 
should be levied for the erection of a court- 
house and jail, and while the records, as pre- 
viously mentioned, do not give the returns 
for said election in any respect, the fact that 
the two buildings were not built at that time 
offers adequate evidence as to the negative 
character of the vote of the qualified electors 
of the county. Prisoners of the county still 
continued to be sent to Fort Vancouver to 
languish in durance \ile. The officers elected 
in July, i860, were as follows: Auditor and 
recorder, James Galbreath; sheriff, James A. 
Buckley; surveyor, M. J. Xoyse; assessor, 
C. Langley; coroner, Almiron Daggett; jus- 
tices of the peace. William J. Horton, John 
Sheets, Horace Strong, Elisha Everetts and 
William B. Kelly. Of the transactions of 
this official corps no trace of record can be 
found, but at the county election held in July, 
1861, the board of county commissioners con- 
sisted of W. H. Patton. S. Maxon and John 
Sheets. On the 5th of November Sheriff 
Buckley was appointed county assessor, S. 
Owens, who had been elected to the office in 
1861. having failed to qualify. The sheriff' 
had been, by virtue of his office, tax collector, 
and his appointment as assessor was a con- 
sistent action on the part of the board. That 
the citizens of the county still had certain 
yearnings for a bastile in which to confine 
malefactors, is shown in the fact that, on the 
8th of November the commissioners awarded 
to Charles Russell the contract to build a 
cdunty jail, at a cost of three thousand three 
Inunlretl and fifty dollars. The building was 
duly completed in the year 1862, the con- 
tractor receiving in payment for his services 



six thousand seven' hundred dollars in scrip. 
It is worthy of note in the connection that, 
in 1 88 1, Mr. Russell purchased from the 
county this historic old building, which had 
been the scene and center of many thrilling 
events, demolished it, and removed the debris 
to his ranch. For the building which he had 
thus erected at the behest of the county ha 
paid the sum of one hundred and twenty dol- 
lars, and it was not criminal salvage at that. 

THE EFFECT OF THE GOLD EXCITEMENT 

IX i860. 

In a preceding chapter we have had occa- 
sion to incidentally mention the gold excite- 
ment of 1S60, which eventually had so pro- 
nounced an effect upon the growth and de- 
velopment of the eastern portion of the ter- 
ritory of Washington. Prior to 1861 there 
had been but little to encourage permanent 
settlements by emigrants in the vicinity of the 
Blue mountains, where now stretch far and 
wide some of the most productive and valua- 
lile farming and fruit lands in the Union. 
In fact, it may be said that even as late as 
1 86 1 there was obtained a very slight concep- 
tion of the great intrinsic value of this sec- 
tion as an agricultural district, land available 
for cultivation being considered as of limited 
extent. What a revelation has been made in 
less than a half century! Even had the art 
of agriculture been forced forward here at 
the time mentioned, there was practically no 
market for products, no shipping facilities be- 
ing available, and aside from those connected 
with the garrison at Fort Walla Walla there 
v.ere no purchasers to be found for the prod- 
ucts of the soil. Those who had come hither 
and taken up ranches along the various water 
courses devoted the same to grazing purposes. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



89 



their plan being to utilize the lands for cattle- 
raising for an interval of a few years, rais- 
ing small crops of grain for their own use in 
the meantime, and, perhaps, having a small 
residuum to sell. A well-known historian 
has said in regard to the conditions existing, 
that "had the military post been abandoned 
in i860 but few whites would have remained 
east of the Cascades, and stock-raising would 
have been the only inducement for anyone to 
remain there." 

But through an unexpected source there 
was to be given an impetus to the settlement 
and development of this region. That metal 
which men hold as the basis of all values 
was destined to draw its devotees to eastern 
Washington and to absolutely transform the 
character of the country. One of the most 
notable gold excitements known to history 
was soon to come. It is related that a Nez 
Perce Indian made his way to California at 
the time of the gold excitement there, form- 
ing the acquaintance of some miners, whom 
he impressed by his intelligence and dignity 
of bearing. Among these miners was a some- 
what visionary and enthusiastic man, E. D. 
Pearce, to whom the Xez Perce brave gave 
information as to his home in the far distant 
mountain fastnesses of what is now Idaho. 
He told a fantastic and romantic tale of the 
accidental discovery which had been made by 
himself and two companions while encamped 
for the night among the mountains which 
had been his haunt from childhood. .\ light 
of surpassing brightness was suddenly re- 
vealed to them among the cliffs, having the 
appearance of a refulgent star. The super- 
stitious Indians regarded the shining object 
with awe, deeming it to be the eye of the 
Great Spirit, but at daybreak they summoned 
sufficient courage to investigate, eventually 



finding "a glittering ball that looked like 
glass," the same being imbedded in the solid 
rock. They were unable to dislodge the ob- 
ject, which they believed to be "great medi- 
cine." Pearce became imbued with the idea 
that the red men had discovered a wonder- 
ful diamond, and he determined to secure the 
same if possible. Upon this seemingly trivial 
circumstance hinged the disco\'ery of gold in 
what was eastern Washington, in i860. 
Pearce eventually made his way to the dalles 
of the Columbia and thence came to Walla 
Wklla, where he took up his abode. He 
scouted through the mountains east of Snake 
river and finally associated himself with a 
party, who were animated by the hope of 
finding gold, by reason of his representations, 
while he himself had ever in mind the won- 
derful diamond. 

The little exploring party comprised seven 
men, but they were eventually ordered out 
of the Nez Perce country by the Indians, who 
were suspicious of their plans. Pearce finally 
induced a Nez Perce scjuaw to lead them 
through to the Lolo trail by a route which the 
members of her tribe seldom utilized. They 
proceeded to the north fork of the Clearwater 
river, through the Palouse country, and even- 
tually camped on a meadow among the moun- 
tains. There one of the company, W. F. 
Bassett, tried for gold in the soil of a little 
stream which traversed the gulch. He found 
about three cents' worth of gold in his first 
pan, this being the original discovery of the 
precious metal in those mountains, and the 
place being tlie site of the famous Oro Fino 
mines, in the present state of Idaho. 

After washing out about eighty dollars in 
gold the party returned to Walla Walla, mak- 
ing their headquarters at the home of J. C. 
Smith, on Drv creek, and finallv fo thor- 



90 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



oiighly enlisting his interest and co-operation 
that he fitted out a party of about fifteen 
men, largely at his own expense, to return to 
the new gold fields for the winter. Sergeant 
Smith's party reached tlie mines in November, 
i860, arousing the antipathy and distrust of 
the Indians, who appealed to the government 
officers for the protection of their reserve 
from such encroachments. A body of sol- 
diers from Fort Walla Walla started out for 
the mines, with the intention of removing the 
interlopers, but the heavy snowfall in the 
mountains rendered the little party of miners 
inaccessible, so they were not molested. Dur- 
ing the winter the isolated miners devoted 
their time to building five log cabins, the first 
habitations erected in Oro Fino, sawing the 
lumber by hand. They also continued to 
work for gold under the snow, and about the 
first of January, 1861, two of the men made 
a successful trip to the settlements, by the 
utilizing of snow-shoes, while in March Ser- 
geant Smith made a similar trip, taking with 
him eight hun<lre(l dollars in gold dust. From 
this reserve he was able to pay Kyger & Reese, 
of Walla \\"alla. the balance due them on the 
prospecting outfit which had been supplied to 
the adventurous little i)arty in the snowy 
mountains. The gold dust was sent to Port- 
land. Oregon, and soon the new mines were 
the subject of maximum interest, the ultimate 
result being a "gold excitement" quite equal 
to that of California in 1S49, ''i"'l within a 
few montlis the rush to tlie new diggings was 
on in earnest, thousands starting forth for the 
favored region. 

\V.\LLA W.\LLA BENEFITED BY THE RUSH 
FOR GOLD. 

The budding city of \\'alla Walla profited 
materially by the influx of gold-seekers, who 



made their way up the Columbia river and 
tlience moved forward. to \\'alla Walla, which 
became the great outfitting headquarters for 
those en route to the gold country. At this 
point were purchased provisions, tools, camp 
accoutrements and the horses or mules re- 
quired to pack the outfits to the mines. 
Through this unforeseen circumstance there 
was now a distinctive local market afforded 
for the products of the Walla Walla country, 
and the farmer who had produce of any sort 
to sell might esteem himself fortunate, for 
good prices were freely offered. Nearly all 
the grain that had Ijeen produced in the coun- 
try was held, in tlie spring of 1861. in the 
mill owned and operated by Simms. Reynolds 
& Dent, the total amount not amounting to 
twenty thousand bushels. This surplus com- 
manded a high price, the farmers receiving 
two and one-half dollars per bushel fur their 
wheat, while at the mines the operators were 
compelled to pay one dollar a pound for the 
flour manufactured therefrom. The inade- 
quacy of the local supply of food pnnlucts 
was such that, had not additional provender 
been transported from Oregon, starvation 
would ha\-e stared the miners in the face. 
This fact gave rise to the almost unprece- 
dented prices demanded for the jiroducts essen- 
tial to the maintenance of life. New mining 
districts were discoxered by the eager pros- 
pectors and all was bustle ami activity in the 
mining region until the fall of 1861. In No- 
vember of that year manv of the miners came 
to Walla Walla for the winter, bringing their 
hard-earned treasure with them and often 
sjiending it with the ]irodigality so typical of 
the mining fraternitv in the early days. 

Although manv <if the diggings yielded 
from six to ten dollars per day, many of the 
operators feared the ravages of a severe win- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



9r 



ter and fully realized the animus of the mer- 
chants at Oro Fino, who refused to sell their 
goods, l)elie\'ing' that starxation would ulti- 
mately face the miners and that they could 
then secure any i:)rice they might see fit to 
demand. In November of the year noted the 
prices at Oro Fino were quiited as follows 
on certain of the necessaries of life: Flour, 
twenty-five dollars per one hundred pounds ; 
beef, thirty cents per pound; coffee, not to be 
had; candles, not for sale; and bacon and 
beans, exceedingly scarce. That the pros- 
pectors and miners should seek to hibernate 
nearer civilization and take refuge in Walla 
Walla was but naltural under the circum- 
stances. 

During the rush to the mining districts, 
both in 1861 and i86j, Walla Walla was the 
scene of the greatest actix'ity : streets were 
crowded ; the merchants were tloing a thriv- 
ing business ; and pack trains moved in a 
seemingly endless procession toward the gold 
fields. The excitement was fed by the glow- 
ing reports that came inmi th.e mining dis- 
tricts, and the natural result was to augment 
the flood of gold-seekers pouring into the 
mining districts in the spring of 1862, as will 
be noted later on. As an example of the allur- 
ing reports entered in the latter part of 1861, 
we may appropriately quote from the Wash- 
ington Statesman of that period, said paper 
being published in Walla Walla, and being 
the precursor of the Walla Walla Statesman 
of the present day. From an editorial in said 
publication we make the following extract: 

S. F. Ledyard arrived last evening from the .Salmon 
river mines, and from him it is learned that some six 
hundred miners would winter there; that some two hun- 
dred had gone to the south side of the river, where two 
streams head that empty into the Salmon, some thirty 
miles southeast of present mining camp. Coarse gold is 
found, and as high as one hundred dollars per day to the 



man has been taken out. The big mining claim of the 
old locality belongs to Mr. Wiser, of Oregon, from where 
two thousand, six hundred and eighty dollars were taken 
on the 20th, with two rockers. On the 21st, three thous- 
and, three hundred and sixty dollars were taken out with 
the same machines. Other claims were paying from two 
to five pounds per day. Flour has fallen to fifty cents 
per pound, and beef, at from fifteen to twenty-five cents, 
is to be had in abundance. Most of the mines supplied 
until first of June. Mr. L. met between Slate Creek and 
Walla Walla, en route for the mines, three hundred and 
ninety four packs and two hundred and fifty head of beef 
cattle. 

In the issue of the Statesman for Decem- 
ber 13. 1861, appears the following interest- 
ing information concerning the mines and the 
inducements there oft'ered: 

The tide of emigration to Salmon river flows steadily 
onward. During the week past, not less than two hundred 
and twenty-five pack animals, heavily laden with provis- 
ions, have left this city for the mines. If the mines are 
one-half so rich as they are said to be, we may safely calcu- 
late that many of these trains will return as heavily laden 
with gold dust as they now are with provisions. 

The late news from Salmon river seems to have 
given the gold fever to everybody in this immediate 
neighborhood. A number of persons from Florence City 
have arrived in this place, during the week, and all bring 
the most extravagant reports as to the richness of the 
mines. A report, in relation to a rich strike made by Mr. 
Bridges, of Oregon City, seems to come well authenticated. 
The first day he worked on his claim (near Baboon gulch) 
he took out fifty-seven ounces; the second day he took 
out one hundred and fifty-seven ounces; third day, two 
hundred and fourteen ounces, and the fourth day, two 
hundred ounces in two hours. One gentleman informs 
us that diggings have been found on the bars of Salmon 
river which yield from twenty-five cents to two dollars 
and fifty cents to the pan, and that on claims in the Sal- 
mon river, diggings have been found where "ounces" 
won't describe them, and where they say the gulches are 
full of gold. The discoverer of Baboon gulch arrived in 
this city yesterday, bringing with him sixty pounds of 
gold dust, and Mr. Jacob Weiser is on his way with a 
mule loaded with gold dust. 

\\ ithin the year more than one and one- 
half millions of dollars in gold dust had been 
shi])ped from the mining districts, — a circum- 
stance which of itself was enough to create 
a wide-spread and infectious gold-fever. An.- 
ticipating the rush for the mines in the vear 



92 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



1862. a great deal of live-stock liad been 
brought to the Walla Walla country in the 
latter part of 1861. while the demands for 
food i^roducts led many ranchers to make 
provisions for raising greatly increased crops 
of grain and other produce to meet the de- 
mands of the coming season. 

The winter of 1861-2 was one of utmost 
severity, and its rigors entailed a gigantic loss 
to residents throughout the eastern por- 
tion of \\'ashington territory, — a section 
practically isolated from all other portions of 
the world for many weeks. It has been said 
that this "was the severest winter known to 
the whites on the Pacific coast." The stock 
in the Walla Walla country perished by the 
thousands, the animals being unable to secure 
feed and thus absolutely starving to death. 
From December to Alarch the entire country 
here was et¥ectually hedged in by the \'a^t 
quantities of snow and the severely cold 
weather. Xot until March 22d do we find 
the statement in the local newspaper that 
^varm rains had set in and that the snow had 
commenced to disappear. One result is shown 
in the further remark, that "Occasionally the 
sun shines out, when the sunny side of the 
street is lined with men." The loss of stock 
in this section during that memorable winter 
was estimated at fully one million dollars, hay 
having reached the phenomenal price of one 
hundred and twenty-five dollars per ton, while 
flour commanded twenty-five dollars per bar- 
rel in Walla \\'alla. It may not l)e malajiro- 
pos to quote a list of prices which obtained 
in the Ore Fino mining region in Deceml)er-, 
1861 : Bacon, fifty to sixty cents per pound; 
flour, twenty-five to thirty dollars per hun- 
dred weight; beans, twenty-five to thirty 
cents per pound; rice, forty to fifty cents per 
pound ; butter, seventy-five cents to one dol- 



lar; sugar, forty to fifty cents; candles, eighty 
cents to one dollar per pound ; tea, one dollar 
and a quarter to one and a half per pound; 
tobacco, one dollar to one and a half; cofifee, 
fifty cents. 

RUSH OF GOLD-SEEKERS IX 1 862. 

In view of the recent gold excitement in 
Alaska, how familiarly will read the follow- 
ing statements from the Washington States^ 
man of March 22, 1862; "From persons who 
ha\-e arrived here from The Dalles during 
the week, we learn that there were some four 
thousand miners in Pcirtland fifteen days ago, 
awaiting the opening of navigation to thq 
upper country. Hundreds were arriving by 
every steamer, and the town was literally filled 
to overflowing." Under date of April 5th, 
tlie same paper gives the following pertinent 
information; "From one hundred and thirty 
to one hundred and forty passengers, on their 
way to the mines, come up to Wallula on every 
steamer, and the majority of them foot it 
through to this place (Walla Walla)." By 
the last of May it was estimated by some 
that between twenty-five and thirty thousand 
persons had reached or were en route to the 
mining regions east of the Cascades, but con- 
servative men now in Walla \\'alla regard 
that a great overestimate. The merchants of 
Walla Walla profited largely through the pat- 
ronage of the ever advancing column of pros- 
pectors and miners, but the farmers did not 
fare so well, owing to the extreme devasta- 
tions of the severe winter just passed. Enough 
has been said to indicate the causes which 
led to the rapid settlement and development 
of eastern Washington and Oregon, — an ad- 
vancement that might have taken many years 
to accomplish had it not been for the discov- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



93 



ery of gold, in so romantic a manner. Tlio 
yield of gold reported through regular chan- 
nels for the year 1862 aggregated fully seven 
millitin dollars, and it is certain that several 
millions were also sent out through mediums 
which gave no record. 

Li February, 1862, food products and 
merchandise commanded the following prices 
at Florence : Flour, one dollar per pound ; ba- 
con, one dollar and a quarter; butter, three 
dollars; cheese, one dollar and a half; lard, 
one dollar and a quarter ; sugar, one dollar and 
a quarter; coffee, two dollars; tea, two dollars 
and a half; gum boots per pair, thirty dollars; 
shovels, from twelve to sixteen dollars. 

POLITIC.\L HISTORY OF THE YEAR. 

The status of affairs in Walla Walla 
county at the opening of the year 1862 was 
radically tlitferent from what it had been at 
the time of the last county election, and the 
matter of choosing incumbents for the vari- 
ous official positions had become one of no little 
importance. The rapid increase in popula- 
tion and the varying character of those who 
had taken up their abode, for a greater or 
less time, within the boundaries of the county 
rendered it imperative that men of ability and 
sterling worth should be selected to adminis- 
ter the affairs of the county, where lawless- 
ness and crime walked side by side with vir- 
tue and rectitude. Many rough characters 
were attracted to the mining districts, and a 
large proportion of these had slight regard 
for the value of human life or for personal 
probity. Political affiliations had but little 
weight, under the circumstances, with the 
better element of the county's population; it 
was recognized as essential that good men 
should be chosen for office, rather than that 
the party lines should be strenuously drawn. 



A call for a mass convention was issued 
prior to the July election, the same bearing the 
signatures of the following named represent- 
ative citizens : R. H. Archer, J. D. Agnew, 
Ouin. A. Brooks, C. S. Bush, D. S. Baker, 
\\'. A. Ball, J. Buckley, O. L. Bridges, S. 
Buckley, A. J. Cain, H. J. Cady, E. P. Crans- 
ton, F. A. Chenoweth, W\ W. De Lacy, J. P. 
Goodhive, H. M. Hodges, W. P. Horton, 
J. Hellmuth, H. Howard, J. B. Ligersoll, W. 
W. Johnson, R. Jacobs, Kohlhauff & Guich- 
ard, E. E. Kelly, A. Kyger, S. Linkton, AL 
Lazarus, N. Northrop, E. Nugent, J. M. 
Norton, W. Phillips, W. H. Patton, R. R. 
Rees, L T. Reese, A. B. Roberts, B. Sheede- 
man, J. A. Simms, A. Schwabacker, John 
Sheets, D. J. Schnebly, J. Van Dyke and D. 
Young. 

For some unknown cause the convention, 
which assembled in Walla Walla on the 21st 
of June, 1862, failed to place candidates in 
nomination, but that various candidates were 
put forward is shown by the records. The 
election occurred on the 14th of July, the re- 
sult being as follows : For representative in 
the territorial legislature N. Northrop received 
355 votes; S. D. Smith 317, H. i\L Chase 
302, and F. A. ChenOweth 132; other officers 
elected being: Edward Nugent, district at- 
torney; James McAulifY, treasurer; H. ^L 
Hodgis, assessor; W. W. Johnson, surveyor; 
J. F. \Vood, superintendent of schools ; L. C. 
Kinney, coroner; and James Van Dyke, John 
Sheets and S. S. Galbreath, county commis- 
sioners. James Buckley was appointed sheritt, 
serving until February, 1863, on the 7th of 
which month Isaac L. Roberts was appointed 
as his successor, holding the office only to the 
17th of March, when he resigned, E. B. Whit- 
man being appointed, to fill the vacancy. 
James Van Dyke resigned the office of com^ 



94 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



jnissioner in August, 1863, and on the 5th 
of September of that year H. D. O'Brj-an 
was appointetl to the office. S. S. Galbreath 
failed to (|ualify as commissioner at the time 
•of liis election, hut held the office by appoint- 
ment, the same having been made on the 5th 
•of August. 1862. 



MATERI.\L PROGRESS OF WALLA WALLA 

couNxy IN 1862. 

The onspeeding tide of gold-seekers did 
not fail to bring in its wake a due quota of 
permanent settlers, for the resources of the 
\\'alla Walia valley began to receive a more 
grateful appreciation. Quite a large number 
of emigrants settled along the creeks and 
rivers skirting the base of the Blue mount- 
ains at the north and west. Farmers jiro- 
duced little to sell, and prices continued to be 
high. Sufficient grain had, ho\ve\'er, been 
raised to warrant the erection of another 
flouring mill, the same having been built l)y 
A. H. Reynolds, on Yellow Ha\\k creek. 
This was originally known as the Frontier 
mill, later as the Star. Captain Medorem 
Crawford, who was in command of the emi- 
grant escort of about eighty men, crossing 
the plains in 1862, and whose statements may 
be considered as authoritative as any data 
a\-ailable, estimated the number of wagons on 
the road for Washington territory and Ore- 
gon at sixteen hundred, and the number of 
persons at ten thousand. A large number of 
emigrants, principally from Iowa, settled in 
the Grande Ronde valley, being people of ster- 
ling worth and invincible courage, — the true 



l)asic elements of a prosperous commonwealth. 
A saw-mill was erected at the head of the val- 
ley, and the town of LaGrande sprung into 
being, having about fifteen houses in the fall 
of 1862. Flour sold there at fifteen dollars 
per hundredweight. 

In November, 1862, we have the authority 
of the Washington Statesman to maintain 
that the town of LaGrande had a population 
of one hundred, two stores, one hotel and a 
blacksmith shop. In March, 1862, Lewiston, 
at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater 
rivers, had been laid out as a town, Wallula 
gaining a similar prestige in the following 
month, lieing located on the Columbia river. 
At the close of the year 1862 Walla ^^'alla, 
a city of less than one hundred houses, nest- 
ling at the base of the Blue mountains; La- 
Grande, in the mountain valley, as noted ; the 
military trading post at The Dalles : Pinkney 
City (Colville), in Spokane county, consti- 
tuted, with the two previously mentioned, the 
village settlements established between the 
Rocky and Cascade ranges. Besides these 
there were, of course, tlie primitive mining 
towns in the mountains, the same being, how- 
ever, little more than camps. 

It was exceedingly gratifying to the in- 
habitants of this section to find that the win- 
ter of 1862-3 proved as mild and equable as 
had the previous one been austere and rig- 
orous. L'p to the beginning of February, 
1863. there had been practically no winter, 
and a grateful Chinook wind cleared the val- 
ley of snow, on the i6th of that month, the 
snow having, in fact, been in evidence for but 
a week. This represented the end of the win- 
ter. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



POLITICAL HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY, 1S63-1866. 



The legislature of 1858, by the erection 
of Spokane county, made the Snake river con- 
stitute the north and east boundary line of 
\\'alla Walla county, which still included all 
the territory between the Cascade range and 
the Columbia ri\-er. with the exception of 
Klickitat county. In January, 1863, the legis- 
lature of the territory created the county of 
Stevens; the same being taken from Walla 
Walla county and located west of the Colum- 
bia, along the borders of the British posses- 
sions and north of the Wenatchee river. The 
new county was attached to Spokane for ju- 
dicial purposes. 

The little city of Walla Walla had thus 
far been on the direct route to the mines and 
had grown and prospered through the influ- 
ence of the pack trains which were fitted out 
within her gates and through the flocking of 
the miners to the place to spend their gold 
in various ways. But in the latter part of 
1862 gold had been discovered in the famous 
Boise basin, in what is now the state of Idaho. 
This discovery deflected the line of gold- 
seekers from Walla Walla, which was now to 
one side of the most diredt line for the trans- 
portation to the new region of the passengers 
and freight coming up the Columbia river. 
The tide of emigration to the new mines set 
in in the spring of 1863, and this led to the 
establishment of a new town at the confluence 
of the Columbia and Umatilla rivers, the name 
•of the latter being given to the new village. 



From that point a line of stages was put in 
operation over the emigrant road to the Boise 
basin, and though W^alla Walla suffered 
somewhat from the deflection of travel and 
traffic, yet the energy and progressiveness of 
her merchants and citizens proved adequate 
t(i maintain to a large extent her trade 
jirestige, which attracted many o\'er from the 
slightly more direct route to the mines. Two 
stage lines gave a daily service between Walla 
Walla and Wallula, and these were taxed to 
accommodate passengers, who paid five dol- 
lars fare, while the transportation of freight 
between the two points was effected by the 
payment of twenty dollars per ton. After July 
I a tri-weekly mail was received from and 
dispatched to The Dalles, this service proving 
(if great value. Some idea of the amount of 
freight passing through the country may be 
gleaned from the fact that, upon the comple- 
tion of their thirteen-mile Dalles and Celilo 
railway, the Oregon Steam Navigation Com- 
pany sold to the government for the sum of 
forty-three thousand dollars the teams they 
had been utilizing for the transportation of 



POLITICAL MATTERS IX 1863. 

At the time of the county election in 1863 
a delegate to congress was to be chosen, and 
owing to the diverging opinions in regard to 
the Civil war, then in [jrogress, party alle- 



96 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



giance came to llie fruiit in tlie territory to a 
much greater extent than at any previous time. 
This led to a spirited campaign, the prime ob- 
ject of each party being, of course, to secure 
the election of their congressional candidate. 
George E. Cole, of Walla Walla, was the can- 
didate of the Democratic party, and the Re- 
publican party spared no effort to reduce to 
the greatest extent possible his home majority. 
The Radical vote of the county in the year 
1863 constituted only a little over one-third 
of its voting population, but a ticket was placed 
in the field for the sole purpose of maintain- 
ing a party organization, for the influence it 
might have in a territorial election. The re- 
sult of the election in the county, on July 13, 
1863, was as follows, the total vote cast hav- 
ing been a trifle less than six hundred : George 
E. Cole, the Democratic candidate for dele- 
gate to Congress, received 398 votes, while 
the Republican candidate. J. O. Raynor, re- 
ceived 146. Mr. Cole was ultimately elected 
by the vote of the territorj-. The only Re- 
publican elected on the county ticket was S. 

B. Fargo, prosecuting attorney, and that the 
greater portion of the voters must have re- 
frained from balloting on this candidate is 
evident when we revert to the fact that only 
forty-se\en votfes were cast, of which Mt. 
Fargo secured all but two. The other officers 
elected w^ere as follows : Joint councilman, 
Daniel Stewart; representatives, S. W. Bab- 
cock, F. P. Dugan and L. S. Rogers; sheriff, 
W. S. Gilliam; auditor, L. J. Rector; assessor, 

C. Leyde, who removed from the county later 
on, J. H. Blewett being appointed to succeed 
him, February i, 1864; coroner, L. Danforth; 
and county commissioner, Thomas P. Page. 

The finances of the county at the close of 
the year 1863 were somewhat suspiciously in- 
volved, and the investigation made by the grand 



jury resulted in various charges of official mal- 
feasance, negligence and even peculation. The 
situation may be briefly summed up by the com- 
parison of the figures representing the avail- 
able assets and the total indebtedness of the 
county on October 10. 1863. the report of the 
jury having Ijeen rendered on the 22(\ of that 
m(_inth. The total in the treasury at the date 
p.oted aggregated only $2,199.14, while the 
total amount due on county orders presented 
was $21,286.00, and on those not presented 
an additional $2,294.42, making a total of $27,,- 
5S0.42. The jury caustically remarked in its 
report that "The county ofiicers' books, pre- 
\ious to the present incumbents, have been so 
imperfectly kept that it is impossible to derive 
a correct conclusion from them." 

THE RECORD OF THE YE.\R 1864. 

1 

The early spring of 1864, ushered in after 
an exceptionally mild winter, seemed to give a 
spontaneous revival to the trade and mining 
activities east of the Cascades. Walla Walla 
showed herself capable of holding her own, 
and though not a city that vaunted herself, no 
one could deny that her precedence was still 
assured. The first line of stages between Walla 
Walla and the Boise basin was put in operation 
in the spring of this year by George F. Thomas 
& Company, though within the preceding year 
three different companies had been operating 
express business over the route in question. 
Walla \\'alla became, or continued, a central 
point for outfitting between the Columbia and 
the mining districts, notwithstanding the op- 
position offered by L'matilla, as already men- 
tioned. Near the headwaters of the Colimibia 
river, in the British possessions, the Kootenai 
nn'ncs had been discovered, and this soon di- 
verted much of the emigration from Boise to 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



97 



the new mines. All this tended to heget a 
greater confidence in the fntnre of the Walla 
\\'alla valley, which was growing to be re- 
garded as a most fa\-orable place for permanent 
settlement. 

The progress of the war of the Rebellion 
brought about an enrollment for a draft in the 
county, in 1864, and this indicated that there 
were 1,133 '"^''' '" ^'''^ county eligible for and 
subject to military duty, but the Democrats 
Hiade the claim at the time that fully three 
hundred of this number had been improperly 
enumerated, being simply transient residents, 
er: route to the mines. This enumeration, how- 
ever, taken in connection with the ballot list 
of the last election, offers the only available 
data relative to the population of the county 
in 1S64. 

The Statesman was authority for the infor- 
mation that the debt of the county at the close 
of the year 1864 aggregated seventeen thou- 
sand dollars, of wliich three thousand should 
be charged to defaulting officials, and four 
thousand five hundred dollars to loss by de- 
preciation in the value of the county script, 
which was issued to pay for the county jail. 
The assessment rolls of the }'ear gi\-e the 
property valuation of the county at $1,545,056, 
— an increase of more than four hundred thou- 
sand dollars over that of the preceding year. 

What was, perhaps, the most important 
e\-ent of the year, as bearing upon the dexelnp- 
ment and substantial growth of this section of 
the country, was the fortunate discovery to 
which another writer refers as follows: "'It 
was also fiiund in 1864 that tlie uplands of the 
Walla Walla country would produce grain, one 
of the farmers having gathered thirty-three 
bushels to the acre from a field of fifty acres, 
sower! the previous fall, on the hills that here- 



tofore had been considered useless for agri- 
cultural ijurposes. This was a more important 
discoverv than that of the mountain gold-fields, 
for it was a bread mine, opened for millions 
that are yet to come. The drouth of 1S64 did 
not prevent a bounteous wheat harvest, and a 
larger surplus of grain than ever before in the 
valley, much of wdiich was sold at from one 
and a half to two cents per pound." 



ELECTION OF 1 864 LOYALTY TO THE UNION. 

The Democrats of Walla Walla county held 
a convention in the city of Walla Walla on the 
1 8th of May, at which time resolutions were 
aaopted which indicated that at least the ma- 
jority of those assembled were loyal to the 
Union cause. That there was a percentage of 
voters in the county in sympathy with the cause 
of the Confederacy was but natural, but these 
were not so rabid as to withdraw their al- 
legiance from their party by reason of the reso- 
lutions wdiich signified the animus of the con- 
vention mentioned. Under title of the "Reg- 
ular Democratic Ticket" the Democrats of the 
county placed a county and legislati\e ticket 
in the field, the opposition being represented by 
a ticket whose caption was "Unconditional 
Union Ticket." 

The total number of votes cast was six hun- 
dred and twenty-eight. — a gain of only twenty- 
six over the number polled in 1863. It was 
claimed that fully one hundred legal voters 
failed to avail themselves of the franchise. 
James McAuliff, who was later, and for many 
years, mayor of the cit}' of Walla Walla, of 
wdiich he is still an honored resident, was candi- 
date for the office of treasurer on both tickets, 
and the result of the election was as follows: 



HISTORY OF \^'ALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Office. 
Prosecuting Attorney. 
Prosecuting Attorney. 

Councilman 

Representative 

Representative 

Representative 

Representative 

Representative 

Joint Representative 

Probate Judge 

Treasurer 

Assessor 

Surveyor 

Coroner 

County Commissioner. 
For special tax 



Name. Politics. X'ote. 

J. H. Lasater Dem Sbl 

S. B. Fargo Rep 219 

. W. G. Langford .... Dem .... :S44 

.A. L. Brown Dem 37.3 

. F. P. Dugan .... ..Dem 324 

.E. L. Bridges Dem 337 

.O. P. Lacy Dem 325 

B. N. Sexton Rep 280 

.Alvin Flanders. .. .Rep 269 

.J. H. Blewett Dem 346 

.James McAuliff Dem .581 

.William H. Patton..Dem .... 323 

.Charles White Dem 352 

.A.J. Thibodo Dem 341 

H. b. 0' Bryan Dem 345 

230; against spec'al tax, 365. 



The early spring of 1865 was marked by a 
renewed rusli of emigrants to the mining dis- 
tricts in the north. As early as February it 
was reported that there were more than a thoit- 
sand miners congregated in Portland, where 
they awaited the opening of navigation on the 
Columbia that they might make their way on- 
v.-ard to the mines of tlie "upper country." 
Thev were followed by . many other eager 
searchers for the hidden aurific deposits. Ag- 
riculture was gradually advancing in e.xtent and 
importance in the \\'alla Walla country, and 
prices still continued high. In June eggs were 
selling in Walla Walla for forty cents per 
dozen and in September wheat commanded one 
dollar and a quarter per bushel. The city of 
^\'alla W'alla was visited by a disastrous fire 
on the 3d of August, and many valuable docu- 
ments were destroyed, including the county as- 
sessment rolls, town plats and city records. In 
this year the town of Waitsburg, on the 
Tmichet river, had its inception, the nucleus 
ci: the now prosperous municipality being a 
school-house and a flouring mill. 



iutd hitherto been e\idenced. The Democratic 
party girded its loins and claimed to have 
gained in numerical strength through the later 
immigration; while the Republican party per- 
fected a thorough organization. The delegates 
of the latter to the territorial convention were 
instructed to support Elwood Evans for con- 
gressional delegate, but the successful candi- 
date for nomination was Arthur A. Dennv, 
who had been for four years register of the 
land office at Olympia. 

While the Democratic convention of \\'alla 
Walla county conceded that political expe- 
diency authorized the selection of a congres- 
sional delegate resident west of the Cascades, 
they instructed their delegates to present the 
name of James H. Lasater for the office in case 
ot disagreement as to choice of a candidate from 
the coast country. James Tilton was, however, 
the nominee of the territorial convention. The 
result of the election in Walla ^\'alla county 
was as follows, the election taking place on the 
5th of June : 



Office. 



Xame. 



Politics. \'ote. 



Delegate .-Xrtliur A. Denny. Rep 3;^6 

Delegate James Tilton Dem 4iMi 

Prosecuting Attorney. .S. B. Fargo Rep 345 

Joint Councilman Anderson Cox Rep 364 

Representative J. D. Mi.x Dem 396 

Representative James McAuliff. ...Dem 392 



Representative 

Representative 

Representative 

Joint Representative. 
Sheriff 



.A. G. Lloyd Dem 368 

.T.G. Lee Dem 362 

. B. K. Sexton K ep 354 

.J. ^L \'ansyckle. . . Dem 367 

.A. Seitel Rep 407 

Auditor J. H. BleweU Dem 399 

Assessor H. M. Hodgis Dem 393 

Surveyor T. F. Berry 359 

School Superintendent. J. L. Reeser Dem .... 386 

Coroner A. ]. Miner Dem 384 

County Commissioner.. D. M. Jessee Dem 396 



POLITICS IX 1865. \^ ti,is election the total vote cast in the 

The political situation in 1865 was such as county was 749, a gain of 122 over the num- 

to arouse a more determined party interest than ber of ballots cast at the election of the preced- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 

h.g year. The several precincts in the county two candidates, as is shown by tlie returns en- 
were respectively represented in this total as tered above. The Republican candidate for 
follows: Walla \\'alia, 539: ^^'allula, 54; L^pper ccngressional delegate was elected by a ma- 
I'ouchet, 96; Lower Touchet, 39: Pataha, jority of over one thousand. Anderson Co.k 
16; Snake River. 5. The average Democratic was elected joint councilman to fill a vacancy 
vote of Walla Walla city was 291 and the caused by the removal of Daniel Stewart from 
Republican 238. It is to I)e noted that in all the territory, but the latter returned and claimed 
the other precincts majorities were given to the the seat when he was advised that a Republican 
Republican candidates, liut the Democratic had been elected. Singularly enough, he did 
ticket was \-icti.irious, witii the exception of not occupv the seat. 



CHAPTER IX. 



GENER.XL AND POLITICAL HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY, 1866-1874. 

In the winter of 1865-6 much snow fell in In the history of mining excitements, we doubt 

.1 T\- ,1 TT- 11 .. ^1 r ■ whether there ever has been a rush equal to that now 

the \\ alia \\ alia country, the same havmg „,„„„, m , r~ • r u 

■' ' '^ going on to IMontana. From every pomt of the compass, 

reached a depth of eighteen inches in December, they drift by hundreds and thousands, and the cry is, " still 

i86v This unusual precipitation worked '^""l '^°"'^-" JJ"" .^''='''=";'^"' promises to depopulate 

portions ot Cahlornia, and from our own territory, as well 

great hardships to the stock-raisers and to as Oregon, the rush is unprecedented. The stages that 

teamsters on their way from the mountains. 'eave here go out loaded down with passengers, all bound 

,^ -r , ,,,, , , for Blackfoot. In addition to the usual conveyances, men 

On January 16. 1 866, began another snow of enterprise have placed passenger trains on the route 

storm, which continued three days, leaving to between Walla Walla and Blackfoot, and those trains go 

• , IV -i- 11 • 1 ^ -1 r • i.1 out daily, with full passenger lists. Fare, with provisions 

Its credit fully eighteen inches of snow m the f.^ished, eighty dollars. . 

^■alle_\•. This was practically olditerated l)y a 

Chinook wind which swept the valley in the With the ever increasing population in the 

opening days of February. Navigation on the mining districts the problem of supplying the 

Columbia was opened on the 22d of the same camps became one of great importance, and the 

month, and the spring opened early and fav- question of transportation was one of utmost 

orably, though cloudy weather of unusual ])er- significance, since supplies would naturally be 

sistency cast its gloom over a portion of the secured through the medium affording the 

month of IMarcli. The rush of gold-seekers to minimum rates. Goods could be drawn from 

Montana mines was inaugurated in the early tuo sources of supply, San Francisco or Chi- 

spring, this having been pronounced "the cul- cago, and the rate war was on. The price per 

mination of the prosperous mining eix^ch that ton for the transi)ortation of supplies from San 

placed Walla Walla u])on a basis of perma- Francisco to Helena, Montana, by way of 

nence." Apropos of this, the Washington Owyhee and Snake rivers, in 1865, was three 

Statesman of April 13, 1866, speaks as follows : hundred and forty-five dollars; by way of Port- 
L.ofC. 



ICO 



HISTORY OF WALLA \\'ALLA COUNTY 



land anil the Snake river to Lewiston, thence 
by land to Helena, three hundred and twenty 
dollars: by way of Portland tn W'allula, thence 
by land to Helena, two hundred and seventy- 
five dollars; and by way of Portland to \\'hite 
Bluffs, thence by land to same destination, 
two hundred and seventy dollars. This data 
i; derived from information collected and pub- 
lished by the San Francisco chamber of com- 
merce. 

During the summer of 1865, according to 
reliable authority, more than one hundred pack 
trains, averaging fifty animals each, -with three 
hundred pounds to the animal, thus aggregat- 
ing seven hundred and fifty tons, were sent 
forth from tlifferent points on the Columbia 
river to Montana. The cost of transportation 
was fully two hundred and forty thousand 
dollars, and the value of the goods aggregated 
about one million, two hundred thousand dol- 
lars. These data will afford an idea as to the 
vast amount of freight wliich was transported 
through the Walla \\'alla valley in 1865, and 
at the opening of the succeeding year the White 
Bluffs route was enabled to offer a rate of five 
dollars less per ton than was Walla Walla. 
The Oregon Steam Navigation Company fav- 
ored the former route, as they were desirous of 
building up a town at White Bluffs, but this 
aroused the protest of the teamsters of Walla 
Walla, twenty-six of whom appended their 
signatures to a card which stated that in prefer- 
ence to any other point on the Columbia river, 
they preferred Wallula as the point from which 
to transport freight to Montana. This protest 
had due influence, and thus ^\'alla Walla was 
enabled to hold her own. 

Within the year 1866 an unsuccessful at- 
tempt was made to annex Walla Walla county 
t') Oregon, a memorial being presented to the 
Oregon legislature advocating such assimila- 



tion. This movement was inaugurated by 
Anderson Cox, to whom reference has been 
made in connection with the election of 1865. 
He succeeded in pushing the enterprise through 
the Oregon legislature, and held it in the back- 
ground in that of Washington. The scheme 
was headed off in large part through the efforts 
of Hollon Parker, who visited Washington 
City for the special purpose. It is a fact 
worthy of great interest that if tlie region south 
of Snake river had been annexed to Oregon 
its vote in presidential elections would have 
been sufficient to tiu'n the scale in favor of the 
Democratic candidates, and the election of 1876 
would have gone to Tilden instead of Hayes. 
The Democratic party elected e\'ery candi- 
date at the annual c<.iunty election held June 4, 
1866, the result being as follows: Joint coun- 
ci'man (for Walla \\'alla and Stevens coun- 
ties), B. L. Sharpstein: representatives. D. M. 
Jessee, R. Jacobs, R. R. Rees, H. D. O'Bryan 
and Thomas P. Page; treasurer, James ^Ic- 
Au'iiff: assessor, H. M. Hodgis; school super- 
intendent. ^^'. G. Langford ; county com- 
missioners. T. G. Lee and H. A. Livingston. 
W. L. Gaston was appointed county survej-or 
\v. the fi'llowing December. Commissioner 
Livingston met an accidental death, on the 24th 
of August, and on the 3d of December Elisha 
Pmg was appointed to fill the vacancy. The 
county had as yet provided practically no ac- 
commodations for the several officials, who la- 
bored under great disadvantages by reason of 
their inadequate quarters, which were indif- 
ferently shiftetl from place to place, with no 
provisions for property filing records and docu- 
ments. The county jail, used jointly by the 
citv, was a disgrace to the county and afforded 
so little surety against the escajie of prisoners, 
who were occasionally placed in irons on this 
account, — a thing that should have not been 



HISTORY OF WALLA \\\\LLA COUNTY. 



lOI 



required. In the year 1866 an abortive attempt 
was made to patch up the old building, the 
city enclosing the structure with a high board 
fence, for the privilege of using it, and the 
county magnanimously contributing a paltry 
sum, which was utilized in reinforcing the 
apertures made by escaping prisoners, and in 
fitting up, over the cells, a room for the jailor 
to occupy. 

IXDUSTRI.\L ACTIVITY IN 186/. 

The productive energies of the Walla Walla 
valley, along the lines which ha^■e in the full- 
ness of time contributed most largely to the 
precedence and substantial prosperity of the 
section, began to be more self-assertive during 
the year 1867, since this year marked the in- 
ception of exporting flour to the coast, this rep- 
resenting at the time the sole manufactured 
product of \\'alla Walla county. A few bar- 
rels were shipped in an experimental way, and 
after the adjustment of freight rates by the 
Oregon Steam Navigation Company, which 
appeared to have discriminated against such 
shipments at one time, the enterprise graciously 
expanded. The amount of flour shipped to 
The Dalles and Portland from April 19 to June 
2, 1867, aggregated four thousand, seven hun- 
dred and thirty-five barrels, the transportation 
rates being six dollars per ton to either point. 
The shipment of flour to the mining districts 
within the year was approximate!}' the same 
in amount as that of preceding years. Later 
in the season a firm of Walla Walla merchants 
made the further experiment of shipping wheat 
to the coast, forwarding fifteen thousand bush- 
els, and proving unquestionably that grain 
could be thus transported down the Columbia 
to the coast markets at a profit. It will be 
readily understood that these two experiments, 



ii so they may be designated, were, with their 
legitimate and normal results, of transcendent 
importance to the rapidly developing Walla 
Walla \alle\-. .\s has been justly said in a pre- 
vious historical publication : "This was the 
beginning of the outward movement of the 
products of the county, made as a experiment, 
under circumstances that proved the practi- 
cability of a steady exportation of flour by the 
millers of this valley, and a consequent market 
for the vast quantities of grain it was capable 
of producing." 

• I 

POLITICAL. 

A review of the political situation in 1867 
shows that there was an extraordinary interest 
and acti\-ity in the ranks of both the Demo- 
crats and the Republicans. The principal point 
of contest and interest was in the selection of a 
delegate to congress, each party having a num- 
ber of aspirants for the important office. The 
people east of the Cascades felt that they were 
entitled to have a candidate selected from their 
section of the territory, inasmuch as the honor 
had hitherto gone to a resident of the sound 
countr}'. From the eastern section of the ter- 
ritory were five Democrats and two Republic- 
ans whose names were prominently mentioned 
ill this connection, and while the Republican 
convention for Walla Walla county sent an 
uninstructed delegate to the territorial conven- 
tion, a \'igorous effort had been made in favor 
of the candidacy of Judge J. E. Wyche. At 
the county Democratic convention the delegates 
chosen were instructed to give their support to 
W. G. Langford, of Walla Walla, so long as 
seemed expedient. They were also instructed 
to deny their sujiport to any candidate who 
endorsed in any degree the project of annex- 
ing Walla Walla county to Oregon. In the 



I02 



HISTORY OF \\ALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



territorial convention Frank Clark, of Pierce 
county, received the nomination of the Democ- 
racy for the office of congressional delegate, 
the balloting in the convention having been close 
and spirited. The Repiil)lican territorial con- 
vention succeeded in running in the proverbial 
"dark horse," in the person of Alvan Flanders, 
a Walla Walla merchant, who was made the 
nominee, defeating three very strong candi- 
dates. 

Owing to the agitation of the Vigilance 
question, referring to diverging opinions of the 
citizens as to the proper method of administer- 
ing justice, the politics of the county were in 
a peculiarly disrupted and disorganized condi- 
tion, and the \'igilance issue had an unmistak- 
able influence on the election, as was shown 
by the many peculiarities which were brought 
to light when the returns were fully in. The 
Democrats of the county were particularly de- 
sirous of electing certain of their county can- 
didates, and it is stated that the Republicans 
were able to divert many Democratic votes to 
their candidate for delegate to congress by trad- 
ing votes with Democrats and pledging their 
support to local Democratic candidates. The 
fact that such bartering took place is assured, 
for while the returns gave a Democratic ma- 
jority of about two hundred and fifty in Walla 
Walla county for all other officers, the delegate 
received a majority of only one hundred and 
twenty-four. This action on the part of the 
AX'alla Walla Democrats secured the election of 
the Republican candidate, whose majority in 
the territory was only ninety-six. 

The result of the election in the county, 
held on tb.e 3d of June, was as follows : Frank 
Clark, the Democratic candidate for delegate, 
received 606 votes, and Alvan Flanders, Re- 
publican, 482. The other officers elected were 
as follows : Prosecuting attorney, F. P. Du- 



gan ; councilman, \\". H. Xew ell ; joint council- 
man (Walla Walla anil Ste\'ens counties), J. 
M. Vansyckle ; representatives, W. P. Horton, 

E. Ping, J. ^L Lamb, P. B. Johnson and B. 

F. Regan; ])robate judge, H. M. Chase; sher- 
iff, .\. Seitel ; auditor. J. H. Blewett; treasurer, 
J. D. Cook; assessor, C. Ireland; surveyor, 
W. L. Gaston ; superintendent of schools, C. 
Fells ; coroner, L. H. Goodwin ; county com- 
missioners, S. jNI. Wait, D. M. Jessee (evidently 
an error in returns, as W. T. Barnes, a Demo- 
crat, was elected), and A. H. Reynolds. 

The sheriff resigned on the 7th of Novem- 
ber. 1868, and on the same day James Mc- 
.\uliff was appointed to fill the vacancy. A. 
H. Revnolds resigned as commissioner, in May, 
i86g. Dr. D. S. Baker being appointed as his- 
successor. Of the successful candidates noted 
in the above list, all were Democrats except 
P. B. Johnson, J. D. Cook, C. Eells, S. M. 
Wait and A. H. Reynolds. 

THE FIRST COURT HOUSE. 

As the county dedicated its first court house 
in the vear 1867, it is incumbent that we make 
a brief reference to the same at this juncture. 
.\s early as 1864. the grand jury had made a 
report on this matter, and from said document 
we make the following pertinent extracts i 
"We, the grand jury, find that it is the duty of 
the county commissioners to furnish offices for 
the different county officers. This we find 
they have not done. To-day the offices of the 
officers are in one place, to-morrow in another, 
and we hope at the next meeting of the board 
of county commissioners that they will, for the 
sake of the integrity of Walla Walla county, 
furnish the different county officers with good 
offices." Notwithstanding this merited re- 
iiriiof, no action of a definite character was- 



HISTORY OF WALLA \\-ALLA COUNTY. 



103 



taken bv the board of commissioners until the 
meeting of Alarch i r. 1S67, when it was voted 
to purchase, of S. Linkton, a building on the 
corner of Alder and Third streets, the same to 
be paid for in thirty monthly installments of 
one hundred dollars each. A further expendi- 
ture of five hun(h-ed dollars was made in fitting 
up the Iniilding for the use of the county, and 
thus Walla Walla county was able to hold up 
a dignified head and note with approval her 
first court-house. That the structure was al- 
together unpretentious, and devoid of all archi- 
tectural beauty, it is, perhaps, needless to say. 
The executives of the county were at least pro- 
vided with a local habitation. 

REVIEW OF THE YEAR 1868. 

Within this year began the first logical and 
active agitation of the transportation ciuestion, 
and this problem involved the future of Walla 
Walla county and city to a greater degree than 
any other. Within the year an organized 
ettort was made to provide for railroad facili- 
ties for shipping the products of the country to 
the markets of consumption. Philip Ritz, ap- 
jjreciative of the results of tlie experiments of 
the pre\-ious year, consigned fifty barrels of 
Hour to Xew York city, where he disposed of 
the same at the rate of ten dollars per barrel, 
netting him a profit of one dollar and fifty cents 
a liarrel. This flour was the jiroduct of the old 
Phoenix mill. At the time, the cost of flour in 
Walla \\'alla was three dollars and se\'enty- 
five cents per barrel, and the transportation 
charges to Xew York, with commissions, ag- 
gregated four dollars and seventy cents a barrel. 
The cost of shipping wheat to San Francisco 
was too great to render it profitable to make 
shipments from Walla Walla, where the pmd- 
uct commanded only f(jrty cents jjer Inishel, 



and the same must be sold for one dollar and 
tu'enty cents per Inishel in San Francisco in 
order to cover the expenses of shipment, made 
at the rate of twenty-eight dollars per ton, of 
which amount six dollars per ton represented 
the transportation charges between Walla 
Walla and Wallula. 

Thus the project of constructing a railway 
line between these two points became the topic 
of much discussion and consideration. After 
several enthusiastic public meetings had been 
held, the business men of this section manifest- 
ing a live interest, the Walla Walla & Colum- 
bia River Railroad was organized. Hon. Al- 
van Flanders, the delegate in congress, secured 
fiom that body the right of way for the pro- 
posed line and alsn permission for the county 
to subscribe three hundred thousand dollars 
for the support of the enterprise, with the pro- 
\ision that this should be done only upon sub- 
mitting the question to the electors of the coun- 
ty and securing a fa\-orable result at the elec- 
tion. Xo definite progress was made in the 
matter for a term of several years, and the 
progress of the count}^ was materially retarded 
on this account. A fuller description of the 
transportation facilities of the county, and the 
history of the various enterprises involved, may 
be found on other pages of this work. 

A BRIEF RECORD OF THE YEAR 1869. 

Again in this }-ear was there to be chosen 
a delegate to congress, and the Democracy of 
Walla Walla county instructed their delegates 
to the territ(jrial comcntion to insist upon the 
nomination of a candidate resident east of the 
Cascade range, — the same desideratum that had 
been sought at the last preceding election. In 
the con\enti<in F. P. Dugan, J. D. Mix, B. L. 
Sharpstein and \X. H. Newell, of Walla Walla, 



I04 



HISTORY OF \\'ALLA \\ALLA COUNTY. 



were balloted for, but tlie nomination went to 
Marshall ¥. Moore, ex-governor of the terri- 
tory. 

Tile Republican nomination was secured by 
Selucius Gartielde, surveyor-general of the ter- 
ritory. The names of two of Walla Walla 
county's citizens were presented 'before the 
convention. Dr. D. S. Baker and Anderson 
Co-x. The nomination of (iarfielde proved 
unsatisfactory to many of the party adherents, 
ard dissension was rampant. The disaffec- 
tion became so intense in nature that a num- 
ber of the most prominent men in the party 
ranks did not hesitate to append their signatures 
to a circular addressed to the "Downfallen Re- 
publican Party." said document bearing fifty 
signatures in all. On the list appeared the 
name of the delegate in congress and the chief 
justice of the territory. The circular called 
for a radical reorganization of the party, 
charged fraudulent action in the convention 
and made many sweeping assertions. This 
action provoked a strong protest, and the dis- 
affected contingent did not nominate a ticket 
of their own. and Mr. Garfielde was elected by 
a majority of one hundred and thirty-two. 
He received in Walla Walla cnunty three 
hundred and eightj^-four votes, while his op- 
ponent, Mr. Moore, received seven hundred 
and forty. 

In the county election the Democrats elect- 
ed their entire ticket, by an average majority 
of three hundred. The county had at this 
time the privilege of electing six representa- 
tives to the lower house of the territorial legis- 
lature, which body had, in 1868, granted one 
more representative to the county. The re- 
sult of the election was as follows : Pros- 
ecuting attorney, A. J. Cain; representa- 
tives. N. T. Caton, Fred Stine, H. D. 
O'Bryan, J. D. Mix, J- H. Lasater, Thomas 



P. Page: probate judge, R. Guichard; 
sheriff, James McAuliff; auditor, H. M. 
Chase; treasurer. A. Kyger; assessor, M. C. 
McBride; surveyor, J. Arrison; superin- 
tendent of schols, William McMicken; cor- 
oner, L. H. Goodwin: county commissiour 
ers, W. T. Barnes, Daniel Stewart, C. C. 
Cram. The count)' gave two hundred and 
eighty-six votes in favor of a constitutional 
convention and only twenty-four in opposition. 

COXDITIOXS .VXD EVEX'TS OF THE YE.\R. 

The year 1869 found the ^\■alla Walla 
valley in about the same status as the preced- 
ing year, though a severe drouth, extending 
over the entire coast country, had caused in 
this section a partial failure of crops, so that 
there was no surplus of grain or flour to ship 
out, save what was sent into the mining dis- 
tricts. Wheat brought from seventy-five to 
eighty cents per bushel, and flour reached as 
high a figure as six dollars per barrel. The 
increased prices made the returning revenue 
practically as great as the year before, not- 
withstanding shortage of crops. 

As has been mentioned previously, the 
financial affairs of the county were badly in- 
volved at the time of the investigation inci- 
dentally made in 1863, and an indebtedness of 
from ti\-e to twenty tlmusand dollars had been 
in evidence continuously up to the year of 
which we are now writing. The last board of 
county commissioners realized that the finan- 
cial integrity of the county was in jeopardy, 
and they determined that of the officers of the 
countv must be exacted a more careful and 
efiicient discharge of their respective duties, 
while they also set vigorously to tlie task of 
placing the treasury department of the county 
upon a better basis — insisting that its business 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



105 



should be handled according to true business ' 
principles. Tiie board were fortunately ena- 
bled to eftect a radical inipro\enient along the 
lines mentioned, the e\-idence of this being 
conclusive when we revert to the fact that on 
the 1st of May, i86y, the obligations of the 
county amounted to $9,569.13, while in the 
treasury the cash deposit was represented bv 
$9,209.18. In view of the fact that the 
sheriff who resigned in Xo\-ember, 1868, was 
indebted to the county, according to the re- 
port of the board, to the amount of more than 
three thousand dollars, for delinquent taxes 
collected, the financial showing at this time 
was all the more creditable to the board and 
to the various county officials. 

w'aitsburg'5 ambition. 

The now thriving town of Waitsl^urg be-' 
gan to cast about for new dignities and honors, 
its ambition leading it to agitate the question 
of dividing Walla Walla county and giving 
to the town mentioned the coveted boon of 
being the official center of the new county. 
Walla Walla county at this time had an area 
of three thousand four hundred and twenty 
square miles, including what are Columbia 
and Garfield counties, and had the region been 
more thickdy populated it would have been too 
large and unwieldy for effective official control 
and management. In regard to the claims of 
Waitsburg and the matter of erecting a new 
county from W'alla Walla, Gilbert's history 
speaks as follows : 

The seat of justice was in one corner far from the 
geographical center, though located in the midst of the 
most thickly settled district. Waitsburg at that time had 
a grist mill, saw mill, hotel, several stores and a good 
school. It was both enterprising and ambitious; and hav- 
ing no paper of its own, ventilated its opinions in the 
Walla Walla journals. Had the upper position of the 
county been settled as it was a few years later, a division 



would have been desirable, but even in that event, Waits- 
burg was too near Walla W'alla to become an acceptable 
county-seat, being necessarily located in the extreme 
corner of the proposed county. That this was true and 
that it would be but a few years before the seat of justice 
would be moved to another place in a more central loca- 
tion, were facts recognized by many of the business men 
of that village, nevertheless a petition was signed by one 
hundred and fifty residents, and was presented to the 
legislature in October, 1869, a delegation of citizens of the 
aspiring town accompanying it to Olympia. The county 
was to be divided so that about one-half the area and one- 
third the population and assessment valuation would be 
segregated. The fact that Waitsburg was not a natural 
center, together with the additional facts that no other 
existing town was, and the upper portion of the county 
was not thickly enough settled to demand a separate 
government, caused the legislature to decline to take any 
action in the matter. Waitsburg's dream of official 
honors was over, and the springing up of Dayton a few 
years later served to convince them that had they been 
conferred they would have been of a transitory character. 



THE YEAR iS/O AND ITS RECORD. 

This year in Walla Walla county was 
marked by no events or conditions of special 
importance. Favorable climatic conditions 
having ]M"e\-ailed, the liar\-ests were bounteous 
again, and the surplus of grain and flour was 
so large as to justify large shipments of these 
products, much of the same being transported 
down the Columbia river. Tiie transportation 
charges were so heavy, however, that the 
lirices on the commodities in Walla Walla 
were exceedingly low, particularly in compar« 
ison with the prices ultimately paid at tho 
various points of destination. 

In the month of August the cit}- council of 
Walla Walla deeded to the county commis- 
sioners the present courthouse square, on 
i\Iain street, the same having been set aside 
for such purpose at the time the town was 
platted. The matter of erecting a courthouse 
had been under consideration, and not a little 
public interest was manifested in the question, 
The commissioners did not, as a matter of 
course, feel justified in making any expendi- 



io6 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



tures of county luiuls (H- credit in this line un- 
til the county h;ul secured a clear title to the 
land upon which the proposed building was to 
be erected. But when the deed to the land 
was finally in their possession the question of 
building- the court house remained in statu 
qi(i\ the matter having been indetinitely post- 
poned hy the commissioners. 

A census of the county was taken in the 
year 1870, and certain data resulting there- 
from will be worthy of perpetuation in this 
connection. The number of houses in the 
county was i)lacecl at 1,149; number of families, 
1. 1 50; white male inhabitants. 2,999; white 
female inhabitants, 2.1 11; colored male inhab- 
itants, III; coloretl female inhabitants, 81. 
According to these figures the total population 
of the county aggregated 5,102. The follow- 
ing statistics will indicate to a degree 
the condition of the county at the close of 
the year 1870, and is worthy of reproduC' 
tion : 

Average wages of farm hands, with board, 
$35.00; average w^ages of laborers, without 
board, $2.50; average wages of laborers, with 
board, $1.50; average wages of carpenters, 
$4.00; average wages of female domestics per 
week. $7.00: average price of board for labor- 
er per week. $5.00; number of farms in coun- 
ty, 654; acres of improved land, 52,620: 
bushels of spring wheat, 190,256; bushels of 
winter wheat. 2,667: bushels of corn. 25.487; 
bushels of oats, 1 14.813: bushels of barley. 
21,654; pounds of butter, 99,780: pounds of 
cheese, i.ooo; tons of hay, 6,815: number of 
horses, 5,650: number of mules, 627; number 
of milch cows. 4.772; number of work oxen, 
292; number of other cattle. 8.046; number 
of sheep. 5.745 : number of hogs. 4.768. 

It will be recalled that the history of 
growth and development in the county had 



covered at this time practically only one dec- 
ade, in view of which fact the people of the lo- 
cality had ample reason to congratulate them- 
selves on the showing made. 

POLITIC.M- AI-'l-WlRS IX 187O. 

According to all data available, the polit- 
ical pot boiled furiously throughout the terri-» 
tory as the liour of election ai)proache(l. Lack 
of harmony was manifest in both parties, and, 
as before, the chief interest centered in the 
election of a delegate to represent the territory 
in the federal congress. Those otfice-holders 
who \\ere most vigorously protestent and vis- 
ibly disafYected, were summarily removed from 
office in January of this year, by the president 
of the L'nited States, this action having been 
recommended by the congressional delegate, 
-Mr. Ciarfielde. who thus drew upon himself 
still greater opposition and dislike. A change 
in the existing laws made it necessary to elect 
a tlelegate again this year, and a strong at- 
tempt was made to defeat Mr. Garfielde. who 
was confident of being returned to the ottice, 
There could be no reconciliation of the war- 
ring elements in the Republican party. The 
Republican territorial convention of 1869 had 
appointed an executive committee, whose pcr- 
soiiiicl was as follows: Edward Eldridge, M. 
S. Drew. L. Farnsworth, P. D. Moore. B. F. 
Stone, Henry Cock and J. D. Cook. In Feb- 
ruary a circular was issued by Messrs. S. D. 
Howe. A. A. Manning, Ezra Meeker. G. A. 
Meigs. A. A. Denny ;nid John E. liurns, 
who claimed to have been constituted the ex- 
ecutive committee. The convention as called 
by the regular committee met in April and re- 
nominated ^Ir. Garfielde. The recalcitrant 
faction presented the name of Marshall Blinn in 
the convention, the bolters not being strong 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



107- 



enough to hold a separate convention, but 
hoping to gain sufficient votes to prevent the 
nomination of Garfielde. 

The Democratic convention was far more 
harmonious, the nomination going to Judge 
J. D. ]\Iix, one of the most honored citizens 
of Walla Walla, and one enjoying a wide ac- 
quaintance throughout the territtjry. The 
campaign developed considerable acrimony 
between the factions of the Republican party, 
but the results of the election showed that the 
disaffected wing gained but slight popular en- 
dorsement. Six thousand three hundred and 
fifty-seven votes were cast in this election, rep- 
resenting a gain of thirteen hundred over the 
preceding year. Garfielde was elected, secur- 
ing a majorit)' of seven hundred and thirty-six 
over Mix, the total vote for Blinn being only 
one hundred and fifty-five. L'pon the ques- 
tion of holding a constitutional convention 
there were one thousand one hundred and 
nine votes cast in opposition, and nine hundred 
and seventy-four in favor. 

By reason of the change in the law the 
county election also was held a year earlier 
than usual, occurring June 6, 1870. The 
Democracy were victorious in the county, 
electing their entire ticket with the exception of 
superintendent of schools. For delegate 
James D. Mix received in his home county 
670 votes, while Selucius Garfielde liad 527. 
The officers elected in the county were as fol- 
lows: Prosecuting attorney, X. T. Caton; 
councilman, Daniel Stewart ; joint council- 
man (Walla Walla, Stevens and Yakima coun- 
ties), N. T. Bryant; representatives, David 
Ashpaugh, James H. Lasater, John Scott, A. 
G. Lloyd, Elisha Ping and T. W. Whetstone ; 
probate judge, R. Guichard; sheriff. James Mc- 
Auliff; auditor, H. M. Chase: treasurer. A. 
Kyger; assessor, A. C. Wellman; surveyor, A. 



H. Simmons ( he was succeeded bj- Charles A. 
White, who was appointed to the office ^lay 
I, 1871); school superintendent, J. L. Reser; 
coroner, L. H. Goodwin; county commission- 
ers, C. C. Cram, F. Louden and I. T. Reese. 

The officials elected in the county this year 
did not assume their respective positions until 
the succeeding year. The officers elected in 
the preceding year had been chosen for a term 
of two years, and they contended that the 
change in the law of the territory which made 
it necessary to hold the election in 1870, in- 
stead of 1 87 1, did not invalidate their right 
to hold office until the expiration of their reg- 
ular term. The matter was brought into the 
courts for adjudication, a test case being made 
in the contest between the prosecuting attor- 
ney-elect against the incumbent of the office at 
the time of the last election. In July James 
W. Kennedy, judge of the first district, ren 
dered a decision in favor of the defendant, 
holding that officers elected in 1869 retained 
their positions until 1871, thus reducing the 
term of the (officials last elected to one year. 

Oregon still cast covetous eyes upon the 
Walla Walla valley region, and in 1870 its 
legislature foruarded to congress another 
memorial, asking that there be annexed to 
Oregon such portion of Washington Terri- 
tory as lay soutii of the Snake river. The res- 
idents of the section indicated were not in- 
formed of the acti'jn until after the memorial 
had been presented to congress, and the prop- 
osition met with determined opposition here. 

R.MLKO.XU I>R(JJECT.S TOWX OF D.VVTOX 

FOfXDED 1 87 I -2. 

The problem of trans]jortation facilitie;> 
still continued the one which had most potent 
significance as determining the further growth 



io8 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUXTV. 



and iiermar.ent industrial prosperity of the 
county. In 1871 the matter of raih-oad facil 
ities was taken under consideration in an 
earnest way. some action having lieen taken. 
Init little having been accomplished in a prac- 
tical wav. .\t this time the Northern Pacific 
Railroad Company made a proposition to sur- 
vey a route from \\'allula to Walla Walla, 
contingent upon there being raised by the cit- 
izens of the county a subscription of two thou- 
sand dollars to assist in defraying the expenses 
of the survey. After the completion of the 
survey, in case the Xorthern Pacific tlecided 
not to build the road in accordance therewith, 
the plats and notes were to be turned over to 
the Walla Walla & Columbia River Railroad 
Company. The required subscription was 
raisetl. the .survey was made, and a report 
anil estimate of cost was given to the latter 
company in May, 1871. the Xorthern Pacific 
ha\ing deemed it expedient not to run its line 
to Walla Walla. A call for a s])ecial election, 
to vote on the question of subscription in 
county bonds, was called by the county com- 
missioners, but in view of the fact that it 
woukl be a needless expense to hold the elec- 
tion, the order was revoked. Later on they 
again called an election, under the act of Sep- 
tember 18. 1871, the former having been 
called luider the act of 1869. but the proposi- 
tion to bond the county was adversely met at 
the polls. In ISlarcli, 1872, the railroad com- 
pany began work at Wallula. grading several 
miles of the road within that year. A rail- 
road from Walla Walla to La Grande was 
surveyed as far as Umatilla, wlien the proj- 
ect was abandoned. 

In the fall of 1871 S. ^L Wait and Will- 
iam Matzger had begun the erection of a 
large fiouring mill on the Touchet ri\er. near 
the mouth of the Patit. and this .served as the 



nucleus of a town, which Ijegan to blossom 
forth in the spring of 1872, and grew so rap- 
idly that, by fall it had a population of five 
hundred people, with facilities in accordance. 
This town was Dayton, the present county- 
seat of Columl)ia county. 

The Republican territorial convention of 
1872 again nominated Mr. Garfielde for dele- 
gate to congress, the Democrats and Liberals 
])lacing the name of O. B. McFadden on their 
ticket, he being the candidate of the Democ- 
racy, who had coalesced with the Liberals, 
this being the year of the memorable "green- 
back" campaign in national politics. Mr. 
McFadden was elected by a majority nearly 
as great as Mr. (larfielde had received two 
years before. The holding of a constitutional 
con\ention was again voted on and defeated, 
Walla Walla county giving an adverse ma- 
jority of seven hundred and fifty-two on the 
jiroposition. In the county election there 
were three candidates for some offices, and 
four for that of auditor. The Democrats 
elected their ticket, with the exception of one 
commissioner. At this election also the peo- 
l)le of the comity voted in favor of the erec- 
tion of a county court-house and jail, the ma- 
jority in fa\or being two hundred and twelve. 
1 he officers elected in the county were as 
follows : Prosecuting attorney, T. J. Anders ; 
councilman. Fred Stine; joint councilman 
(Walla Walla, Stevens, Yakima and \Miitman 
counties), C. H. Montgomery; representa- 
tives, X. T. Caton, O. P. Lacy, E. Ping, C. 
L. Bush, John Bryant and H. ]\L Hodgis; 
]irobate judge, L Hargrove; sheriff, B. W. 
(iriffin; auditor, R. Jacobs; treasurer, R. R. 
Rees; assessor, William F. Gwynn: surveyor, 
A. L. Knowlton ; school superintendent, A. 
W. Sweeney: coroner. A. J. Thibodo; county 
commissioners. D. M. lessee. W. P. P.ruce 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



109 



and S. L. King. The last named commis- 
sioner resigned his position on the 4th of May, 
1S74, W. T. Barnes being appointed to fill 
the \acancy. 

THE YEARS iS/j AND 1S74 IN WALLA WALLA 
COUNTY, 

The vote on the question of building the 
court house and jail had been taken for the 
express purpose of securing a definite expres- 
sion of the opinion of the tax-payers rela- 
ti\'e to the much-needed improvement. 
Though the minority vote on the proposition 
was large, the commissioners felt justified in 
obeying the will of the majority, in harmony 
with which they caused plans and specifica- 
tions to be prepared and presented, finally 
adopting those of F. P. Allen, in February, 
1873, which provided for a brick court house 
on a stone foundation. Concerning this im- 
portant matter another historical compilation 
speaks as follows: "The design was for a 
main building, with an ell that would give 
ample accommodations to all the county offi- 
cers, court and jury rooms, and in the base- 
ment a jail with twelve cells. There were 
two stories above the basement, and the whole 
was surmounted by a dome, making a struc- 
ture of considerable beauty. Although the 
county now had a clear title to the court- 
house square, on ^lain street, there were sev- 
eral parties who desired to enhance the value 
of their property in the outskirts of the city, 
and therefore ofifered to donate land to the 
county upon which to erect the new building. 
These offers were considered and rejected, 
and the court-house square was selected as the 
building site. Two weeks later the commis- 
sioners saw fit to rescind their former action 
and accept the offer of four blocks of land 



between Secontl and Fourth streets, and one- 
fourth mile north of Main street, much to the 
displeasure of the citizens who desired the 
building erected on the court-house square, 
where it would not take a Sabbath day's jour- 
ney to reach it. The next step by the board 
was to alter the plans and reduce the size of 
the Ijuilding. take off the dome, and prune the 
structure of all its ornamental features, leav- 
ing it the appearance of a huge barn. The 
last act, and under the circumstances the most 
judicious one, was a conclusion not to erect 
the Ijuilding at all." 

POLITICAL. 

Within the year 1874 there was much dis- 
cussion in regard tn the annexation of a por- 
tion of Idaho to Washington and the admis- 
sion of the entire territory into the Union. 
Mass meetings were held in Walla Walla 
county and in Idaho, this section favoring the 
project with unmistakable tenacity^ and me- 
morials were presented to congress. The 
question of a constitutional convention was 
again defeated when submitted to popular 
vote. In Walla Walla county the total num- 
ber of votes cast on this proposition was only 
two hundred and sixty, and of these only 
twenty-four were in favor of the convention. 
Two candidates for delegate to congress were 
nominated, one being a resident east and the 
other west of the Cascades, which mountains 
had long represented the line separating and 
individualizing the interests of the two sec- 
tions of the territory. The nominee of the 
Republicans was Orange Jacobs, and the Dem- 
ocrats presented as their candidate B. L. 
Sharpstein, of Walla ^\'alla. Judge Jacobs 
was elected by a majority of twelve hundred 
and sixty. This was the era of the independ- 



1 10 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



•ent or "Grange" movenicnt, wliicli liad an 
unmistakable effect upon national ])olitics, its 
intluence being felt in this section of the 
Union. In the local election of Walla Walla 
county, held November 3, 1874, there were 
three tickets in the field, and three candidates 
were in line for nearly every office. The re- 
sult gave the Democrats the victory in otifices 
purely local in character, while the Republi- 
cans elected their candidate for prosecuting 
attornev and a few members of the lesfisla- 
turc. The officers elected were as follows : 
I'rosecuting attorney, T. J. Anders; council- 
man, E. Ping; joint councilman, W. W. 
Boon; representatives, R. G. Newland, J. B. 
Shruni, ['. M. Lynch, John Scott, H. M. 



Hodgis and .\. (1. Lloyd; probate judge, R. 
Guichard; sheriff, George F. Thomas; audi- 
tor, R. Jacobs; treasurer, R. R. Rees; assessor, 
Samuel Jacobs; surveyor, A. L. Knowlton 
(who resigned in November, being succeeded 
by P. Zahner) ; schools superintendent, A. W. 
Sweeney; coroner, A. J. Thibodo; county 
commissioners, Charles White, C. S. Brush 
and C. C. Cram. The coroner resigned in 
November, being succeeded by O. P. Lacy, 
who in turn resigned the office, in Novem- 
ber, 1875, V. D. Lambert being appointed to 
fill the \'acancy. Commissioner Charles 
White resigned in November, 1875. '^'^ ■''Ac- 
cessor being- Frank Louden. 



CHAPTER X. 



ANNALS OF THE YEARS 1875 TO 1S81. 



The year 1875 was an important one in 
the. annals of the city of Walla Walla, since 
it marked the completion of the line of the 
^\'alla Walla & Columbia River Railroad 
from \\'allula to Walla Walla, the work of 
the energetic and far-seeing Dr. D. S. Baker, 
thus affording to the county-seat its first rail- 
way connection with the outside world, and 
also affording shipping facilities far ahead of 
the primitive methods heretofore employed. 
The road had been slowly advanced toward 
completion by the intervention of private 
capital, the citizens generously coming to the 
rescue of the enterprise and subscribing near- 
ly twenty-seven thousand dollars. In October 
of this year were made the first shipments of 
grain by railroad out of Walla Walla, and it 
juay well be imagined that the completion of 



the road was the cause of marked satisfaction 
to the merchants and farmers of this locality. 
Other railroad projects were brought up and 
thoroughly discussed, Dayton ami Waitsburg 
having held mass meetings to consider the 
matter of securing railway connection with 
the county-seat, while other and more preten- 
tious projects were agitated. Li the fall of 
the year 1875 Walla Walla was connecteil 
with r.aker City, Oregon, by telegraph line. 

DIVISIO.N OF THE COUNTV. 

Reference has already been made to the 
attempt of Waitsburg to effect a division of 
the county in 1869, the effort being unsuccess- 
ful. But the increase in settlement, the rapid 
development in agricultural and other indus- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUXTY. 



1 1 1 



trial lines, made the proposition to form a 
new count}' not an unreasonable one in 1875. 
From a previously published history of Co- 
lumbia county we make the fr)ll(jwin<:;^ ex- 
tracts, which will show clearly how the di- 
vision of the county, by the erection of Co- 
lumbia county, was effected : 

The springing up of Dayton and great increase in 
wealth and population of the country surrounding it, led 
the minds of people to the idea that a new county should 
be created. They were a portion of Walla Walla coun- 
ty, but were so far from the county-seat that it was a 
matter of great inconvenience and expense to transact 
official business. Especially were the citizens of Uayton 
in favor of a new county, and the location of a seat of 
justice in their midst, as such a step would help the 
town. Dayton was the only town in the proposed new 
county, yet, as it was near the western verge, those who 
could see into the future recognized the fact that settle- 
ment of the Pataha, Alpowa and Asotin country would 
result in taking the county-seat away from Dayton in 
time, or in creating another county to accommodate the 
people of that region. This served only to spur them 
on in their effort to secure the prize for Dayton, hoping 
to retain it when the conflict came in the future, by creat- 
ing a new county, thus leaving Dayton in permanent 
possession of what it had gained. The Democrats had 
elected Elisha Ping to the territorial council in 1874, and 
as this gentleman was a resident and property-holder of 
Dayton his services were assured in securing the desired 
legislation. A petition was circulated and largely signed, in 
I8T.5, asking the legislature to divide Walla Walla county 
by a line running directly south from the Palouse ferry, 
on Snake river, to the Oregon line, thus leaving Waits- 
burg Just within the limits of the new county. The peo- 
ple of Waitsburg objected. If they had to be the tail to 
any kite, they preferred Walla Walla to Dayton. They 
delegated Mr. Preston to visit Walla Walla and consult 
with the people there on this subject. He addressed a 
large meeting in that city in September, and a remon- 
strance was prepared, which received many signatures, 
and was forwarded to the legislature. Representatives 
Hodgis, Lloyd, Lynch and Scott, of Walla Walla coun- 
ty, opposed a division with earnestness. The cause of 
Dayton was in the hands of A. J. Cain, who managed it 
in Olympia, with the assistance of Mr. Ping. The 
remonstrance sent in by the people of Walla Walla and 
Waitsburg called the attention of the legislature to the 
fact that the proposed line of division cut off two-thirds 
of the county, including the bulk of the agricultural 
land and all the timber, and suggested that if it was 
.necessary to create a new county at all, that a line run- 
ning from Snake river to the Touchet on the line between 
ranges :iS and 39, thence up the south fork of the Touchet 
to the Oregon line, be selected. This was twelve miles east 



of the other proposed line, and would leave Waitsburg in 
Walla Wallacounty, aswell asa large belt of agricultural 
and timber land that otherwise would be set off to the 
new county. Walla Walla found herself helpless in the 
matter in the legislature. The members from the west- 
ern side of the mountains were in the majority, and they 
were in favor of a division as desired by the people of 
Dayton. A bill to create Ping county was introduced 
and passed both branches, only to meet with a veto at 
the hands of Governor Ferry, who objected to certain 
features of it. Another bill was prepared, in accordance 
with his objections, to create the county of Columbia, 
and was hurried through the legislature in the last days 
of the session, receiving the governor's signature on the 
Uth of November, 187.5. The line was a compromise 
between the two proposed, and struck the Touchet two 
miles abgve Waitsburg, then went south si.\ miles, east 
six milL'S, and th.-n south to the Oregon line. 

Though the opening of the centennial 
year, 1876, found Walla Walla county de- 
prived of near two-thirds of its original ter- 
ritory, s'till prosperity smiled upon the locality, 
and the prospects for the future were most 
flattering. That the county had not suffered 
appreciably in the amount of real valuations 
by reason of the segregation of the new 
county of Columbia, is clearly shown Ijy a 
comparison of the assessed valuations of the 
years 1875 and 1876. In the former year the 
property in the county (then undivided) was 
assessed at $2,792,065, while in 1876 the total 
was nearly as great, being $2,296,870. Sta- 
tistics gleaned by the assessor in this year 
afford the following data : In the county were 
reported 239 mules, 5.281 horses, 11,147 cat- 
tle, 13.25^ sheep, 4,000 hogs, 1.774 acres of 
timothy, 700 of corn, 2,600 of oats, 6,000 of 
barley, 21,000 of wheat, and 700 of fruit 
trees. The new railway was handling a large 
amount of the produce of the county, flour 
being now manufactured in six mills in full 
operation in the county. Prosperity was in- 
dicated in divers ways, and the condition of 
the county treasury was gratifying. On the 
1st of May the treasury had a balance on hand 
of $5,271.61, and the amount due on out- 



I 12 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY, 



standing warrants aggregated only $2,816.56. 
The roof of the court house was raised five 
feet in this year, and a two-story addition 
was made to the building, the dimensions of 
this annex being twenty by twenty-four feet. 
Another much-needed improvement was ef- 
fected, in that the commissioners constructed 
three vaults of brick to be used for the filing 
and preservation of the county records. 

The division of the county much dis- 
pleased the citizens of Walla Walla county, 
who felt that their interests were not properly 
considered by the people of the sound, who 
seemed to discriminate against the territory 
east of the mountains and to have no concern 
about this section save in the matter of deriv- 
ing therefrom as great a revenue as possible. 
Thus it came about that the matter of asking 
once more for annexation of this section of 
the territory to Oregon was taken up and vig- 
orously supported by many who had hitherto 
strongly opposed the measure. James K. 
Kelly, United States senator from Oregon, 
introduced in the senate a bill which provided 
for the submission to the voters of Walla 
Walla and Columbia counties the question of 
their annexation to Oregon, the territory thus 
including all south of the Snake river. The 
annexation scheme was bitterly opposed by 
the citizens of the Puget sound district, by the 
territory of Idaho and particularly by the 
citizens of Dayton, who could see no reason 
for the change, maintaining that by reason 
of the rapid settlement of the country it would 
soon be possible to secure the admission of 
Washington to statehood according to the 
plans originally outlined. Dayton accord- 
ingly sent to congress a memorial objecting 
to the bill introduced by Senator Kelly, where- 
upon Walla Walla took a definite action also, 
holding a mass meeting and also sending, in 



turn, a memorial to congress, favoring the 
bill in question. The bill failed to pass, as 
did also the liouse Ijill, of similar character, 
introduced by Representative Lane, of Ore- 
gon, and providing that the question should 
be voted on at the Xoxember election. Al- 
though this latter bill was favorably voted 
upon by the committee on territories, it met 
the same fate -as had the senate bill. The an- 
nexation idea being thus adversely considered, 
and realizing that nothing further could be 
done along the line noted, Walla Walla county 
finally accepted the situation gracefully and 
concluded to act in harmony with other sec- 
tions of the territory in the matter of work- 
ing to secure the admission of Washington 
to the sisterhood of states. 

COUNTY ELECTION OF 1876. 

The Republican nominee for delegate to 
congress was Judge Orange Jacobs, who was 
the incumbent of the office at the time. The 
Democrats nominated John P. Judson, who 
was defeated by a small majority, Walla 
Walla coimty having given him a majority 
of one hundred and fifty-two votes. The 
county election, held November 7th, gave a 
distinct victory to the Democracy, all its can- 
didates being elected. The one Republican 
elected was the county surveyor, whose name 
appeared on both tickets. The result of the 
election was as follows: Prosecuting attor- 
nev. T. J. Anders; councilman, Daniel Stew- 
art; representatives, W. T. Barnes, William 
:\Lartin, A. J. Gregory and H. A. Vansyckle; 
probate judge, R. Guichard; sheriff, George 
F. Thomas; auditor, Thomas P. Page; treas- 
urer, William 0."Donnell : assessor, Samuel . 
Jacobs; surveyor, P. Zahner; school superin- 
tendent, A. W. Sweeney (who resigned in the 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



"3 



following May, being succeeded by L. K. 
Grim); coroner, L. II. Goodwin; commis- 
sioners, D. J. Storms, James Braden and Dion 
Keefe. In the county eighty-five votes were 
cast in favor of the constitutional convention 
and two hundred and ninety-two in opposi- 
tion. The territory gave, however, a very 
satisfactory majority in favor of the holding 
of the territorial convention. 

The finances of the county were held in 
excellent condition during the succeeding two 
years, the report of the fiscal year ending 
April 30, 1877, showing the receipts to have 
been $46,657.11 and the expenditures $43,- 
797.99. The cash on hand aggregated $8,- 
130.73, while less than eight hundred dollars 
was due on outstanding county warrants. 
The advances made in the shipping of the 
products of the county is distinctly indicated 
by the following statistics in regard to the 
amount of freight handled Ity the Walla 
Walla & Columbia River Railroad in the year 
1877. There were received eight thousand 
tons, of which thirty-five hundred were agri- 
cultural implements. There were forwarded 
19,884 tons of wheat, 4,653 of flour, 917 of 
oats and barley, 326 of flaxseed, 81 of wool, 
172 of bacon and lard, and 280 of miscella- 
neous freight, — a gratifying total of 26,313 
tons shipped out from the territory tributary 
to Walla Walla. 

THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. 

Judge Jacobs, the territorial delegate to 
congress, urged upon that' body, during the 
session of 1877-8, the passage of a bill admit- 
ting Washington to statehood, its territory 
to include the three northern counties of Ida- 
ho. Once again the old and dejected annexa- 
tion scheme raised its weary head, Senator 

8 



Mitchell, of Oregon, presenting to congress 
another memorial advocating the annexation. 
Congress took no action on the memorial. In 
November, 1877, the legislature of the terri- 
tory passed a bill providing for a special elec- 
tion, to be held April 9, 1878, to choose dele- 
gates to a constitutional convention, which 
was to be held in Walla Walla the second 
Tuesday in June. Fifteen delegates were to 
be chosen from Washington and one from 
Idaho, the latter to have no vote. The elec- 
tion called out about one-half the popular 
vote of the territory. In the meantime the 
work of framing a constitution had been 
pushed forward. The delegates to the con- 
stitutional convention were as follows : W. 
A. George, of Walla Walla; Edward Eldridge, 
Whatcom; S. M. Gilmore, Klickitat; S. M. 
Wait, Columbia; B. F. Dennison, representing 
the second judicial district; C. II. Larrabee, 
third judicial district; C. M. Bradshaw, Jef- 
ferson ; Henry B. Emery, Kitsap ; L. B. An- 
drews, King; D. B. Hannah, Pierce; Frank 
Henry, Thurston; .\. S. Abernctliy, Cowlitz; 
G. H. Steward, Clark; O. P. Lacy. Walla 
Walla; G. V. O'Dell, Whitman; and Alonzo 
Leland, of Nez Perce county, Idaho. 

On June 11, 1878, these delegates assem- 
l>led at Science Hall, in the city of Walla 
Walla, and were called to order by W. A. 
George. A temporary organization was ef- 
fected by the election of A. S. Abernethy as 
president of the convention. The committee 
on credentials made its report, after which the 
convention was permanently organized, with 
the following officers : A. S. .\bernethy, pres- 
ident; W. B. Daniels and William Clark, sec- 
retaries; and Henry D. Cock, sergeant-at- 
arms. The convention continued in session 
for a period of forty days, and within this 
time had framed a constitution to be submit- 



114 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



ted to the people for ratification or rejection 
at the next general election, to be held in No- 
vember. 1878. It is recorded that but little 
enthusiasm was manifested in the subject of 
the constitution, the vote on this issue falling 
fully three thousand short of that cast for dele- 
gate to congress. In favor of the adoption 
of the constitution 6,462 votes were cast, and 
against the same 3.231. Many were apa- 
thetic in the matKT by reason of the fact 
that they considered the adoption of the con- 
stitution somewhat premature and felt that no 
genuine results could be attained at this time. 
The Democratic territorial convention of 1878 
placed N. T. Cation in nomination for dele- 
gate to congress, and Thomas H. Brents was 
the nominee of the Republicans. Both the 
gentlemen were prominent lawyers of Walla 
Walla, so it will be seen that the people east 
of the mountains received due recognition at 
this time. Judge Brents is at the time of this 
writing judge of the superior court in Walla 
Walla county, and a specific sketch of his life 
appears on another page of this work. The 
vote cast in the territory was nearly three 
thousand greater than that of the last elec- 
tion, two years previous, the total being 
12,647. J"<^'g^ Brents received a majority of 
1. 301. and in his home county his majority 
was 146, the fact being particularly flattering 
to the successful candidate, since this was the 
first time that the county had ever given a ma- 
jority to a Republican candidate for delegate 
to congress. The Republicans captured a 
share of the county oflices at this election, 
held November 5th, electing the councilman, 
three representatives in the legislature, the 
auditor and treasurer, surveyor, school super- 
intendent and one of the commissioners. The 
result of the election was as follow^s: Prose- 
cuting attorney, R. F. Sturdevant; council- 



man. J. II. Day; representatives, John A. 
Taylor, D. J. Storms, J. J\I. Dewar and Mark 
F. Colt; probate judge, R. Guichard; sheriff, 
J. B. Thompson; auditor, W. C. Painter; 
treasurer, J. F. Boyer; assessor, Samuel Ja- 
cobs; surveyor, P. Zahner (who resigned in 
February, 1880, F. F. Loeher being appointed 
to fill the vacancy) ; school superintendent, 
C. W. Wheeler; coroner, J. 'Si. Boyd; com- 
missioners, M. B. \\'ard, Amos Cummings and 
Samuel H. Erwin. The vote in the county in 
favor of the adoption of the constitution was 
eighty-nine, against the proposition eight 
hundred and forty-seven. 

The years 1879 and 1880 gave to Walla 
Walla an improvement in shipping facilities, 
since the Walla Walla & Columbia River 
Railroad was sold to the Oregon Railway <& 
Navigation Company, who changed the line 
to a broad gauge and otherwise so improved 
the equipment as to give the Walla Walla 
valley far superior transportation facilities to 
those hitherto enjoyed, thus tending to vitalize 
the industrial life of this section in a marked 
degree. 

Delegate Brents introduced in the national 
house of representatives a bill for the admis- 
sion of ^^'ashington into the Union, and 
though the matter w^as pushed forward with 
as much insistency as possible, yet congress 
refused to give it consideration, so that the 
agitation had to be abandoned until the next 
session of congress. Judge Brents was again 
nominated for delegate by the Republicans in 
1880, the candidate of the Democracy being 
Thomas Burke. The former was successful 
at the polls, his majority in Walla Walla 
county being one hundred and eighteen votes. 
By the county election of November 2, 1880, 
the various official positions were again di- 
vided, the Republicans gaining a majority of 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



lis 



the offices. The result was as follows : Mem- 
ber of the board of equalization, T. C. Frary; 
•councilman, B. L. Sharpstein; joint council- 
man, Jacob Hoover; representatives, R. R. 
Rees and W. G. Preston; joint representa- 
tive, J. M. Cornwell; probate judge, R. Guich- 
ard; prosecuting attorney, George T. Thomp- 
son; sheriff, James B. Thompson; auditor, 
\\'. C. Painter; treasurer, J. F. Boyer; assessor, 
Samuel Jacobs; surveyor, Francis F. Loehr; 
school superintendent. C. \\'. Wheeler; coro- 
ner. Dr. H. G. ]\Iauzey; commissioners, M. B. 



\\''ard, Amos Cummings and S. H. Erwin; 
sheep commissioner, Asa L. LeGrow. 

At this election the question of levying a 
tax for the purpose of building a suitable 
court house and jail, compatible with the 
wealth and dignity of the county, came up 
for decision, and it is gratifying to know that 
the voters of the county gave to the proposi- 
tion an almost unanimous endorsement, 1,468 
votes being cast in favor of the levy and only 
158 against it. The fence law was also en- 
dorsed at this election. 



CHAPTER XL 



WALLA WALLA COUNTY ELECTIONS 1882-I9OO. 



At the election of 1882 the following offi- 
cers were elected : Representatives, H. H. 
Hungate, A. G. Lloyd and Milton Evans; 
attorney, George Thompson; auditor, William 
C. Painter; sheriff, J. B. Thompson; treas- 
urer, J. F. Boyer; assessor, William Hark- 
ness; surveyor, F. H. Loehr; superintendent 
of public schools, J. W. Brock; judge of pro- 
bate, R. Guichard; commissioners, Amos 
Cummings, M. B. \\'ard and S. H. Erwin; 
sheep commissioner, A. S. LeGrow ; coroner, 
\\". B. Wells. 

At the election of 1882 Judge Thomas H. 
Brents, of Walla Walla, was the Republican 
candidate for delegate to congress, and he was 
elected by a flattering majority. Of his serv- 
ices in this capacity due record is made on 
other pages of this work, in which connection 
we are also pleased to direct particular atten- 
tion to the sketch of his life, appearing on 
another page. He received in Walla Walla 



county at this election eleven hundred and 
thirty-one votes. It is to be noted that this 
election showed many "scratched" tickets, the 
reason assigned by the Walla Walla Daily 
Statesman being to "give 'bossism' its death 
blow," and to thus file a definite objection to 
what was pronounced a "giant evil." 

Touching this election the Statesman 
(Democratic) of November 11, 1882, speaks 
as follows: "Last Tuesday the tolerant spirit 
of the people gave out, and it became a fight 
between right and wrong, between honest 
go\-ernment and dishonest government, be- 
tween bossism and the people. It was a ques- 
tion whether the people or the bosses were to 
rule. The watchword was, 'The right thing 
must come to pass,' and it did come to pass. 
1 he people dropped their expressed wishes 
into the ballot boxes on Tuesday, and when 
they were counted 'bossism' died, as it should." 

The election of 1884 gave the following 



Ii6 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



results: Representatives, J. F. Brewer, Will- 
iam Fudge and J. M. Dewar; attorney, !•-. K. 
Hanna ; auditor, William C. Painter ; sheriff, 
A. S. Bowles; treasurer, J. F. Boyer; assessor, 
L. H. Bowman; surveyor, J- B. Wilson; su- 
perintendent of public schools, J. W. Mor- 
gan; judge of probate, R. Guichard; commis- 
sioners, Amos Cummings, \\ . P. Rcser and 
W. G. Babcock; sheep commissioner, A. S. 
LeGrow; coroner, H. R. Keylor. 

The record of the election of 1886 is here 
noted : Representatives, P. A. Preston and 
W. M. Clark; auditor, L. R. Ilawley; sheriff, 
A. S, Bowles; treasurer, J- F. Boyer; assessor, 
M. H. Paxton; survej-or, J. ]\I. Allen; super- 
intendent of public schools, Ellen Gilliam; 
judge of probate, R. Guichard; commission- 
ers, T. C. Taylor, Joseph Paul and Edwin 
Weary ; sheep commissioner, Timotliy Barry ; 
coroner, H. R. Keylor. 

In 1888 the following officers were elected 
in the county : Representatives, E. L. Powell 
and L. T. Parker: auditor, L. R. Hawlcy ; 
sheriff, J. M. IMcFarland ; treasurer, John F. 
Boyer; assessor, M. H. Paxton; superintend- 
ent of public schools, J. B. Gehr; surveyor, 
L. W. Loehr; coroner, Y. C. Blalock; justice 
of the peace, John A. Taylor; probate judge, 
H. W. Eagan; commissioners, James McAu- 
liff. Frank IMcGown and C. J. Laman; con- 
stable, James A. Messenger. 

At the election of 1890 the following in- 
cumbents of the county offices were chosen : 
Representatives, J. L. Sharpstein and J. C. 
Painter; attorney, H. S. Blandford; clerk, H. 
\\'. Eagan; auditor, W. B. Hawley; sheriff', J. 
M. JIcFarland ; treasurer, R. Guichard ; assess- 
or, M. II. Paxton; superintendent of public 
schools, J. B. Gehr; surveyor, L. \\\ Loehr; 
justice of the peace, J. W. Cole; commission- 



ers, J. -M. Hill, Milton Aldrich and Frank 
Lowden. 

The results of the election of 189J were 
as follows: Representatives, A. Cameron and 
Joseph Merchant; senators, David Miller and 
John L. Roberts; superior judge, W. M. Up- 
ton; clerk, H. . W. Eagan; attorney. Miles 
Poindexter; auditor, W. B. Ilawley; sheriff, 
C. C. Gose; treasurer, H. H. H ungate: super- 
intendent of public schools, E. L. Brunton; 
assessor, T. II. Jessup; surveyor, J. B. Wil- 
son; coroner, C. B. Stewart; justice of the 
peace, W. T. Arbcrry ; constable, M. C. Gus- 
tin; conimissioners, Edward AIcDonnell, J. B. 
Caldwell and Frank JNI. Lowden. 

In 1894 the following officers were elected 
in the county: Representatives, Joseph Mer- 
chant and J. W. Morgan; attorney. R. H. 
Ormsbee; clerk, Le F. A. Shaw; auditor, A. 
H. Crocker; sheriff', \\'illiam Ellingsworth ; 
treasurer, I\I. H. Paxton; superintendent of 
public schools. E. L. Brunton ; assessor, J. B. 
\\'ilson ; surxxyor, E. S. Clark ; coroner, S. M. 
White; justice of the peace, E. H. Xixon; 
constables, M. C. Gustin and Ben T. Wolf. 

The election of 1896 resulted as follows: 
Representatives, J. H. Marshall and .\. Ma- 
thoit; senators, David ]\Iiller and John I. 
Yeend; superior judge, Thomas H. Brents; 
attorney, F. B. Sharpstein; auditor, A. H. 
Cro'cker; clerk, J. E. Mullinix; sheriff, Will- 
iam Ellingsworth; treasurer. M. H. Paxton: 
survevor, E. S. Clark ; assessor, J. B. Wilson ; 
superintendent of the public schools, Grant S. 
Bond: coroner, W. D. Smith; justice of the 
peace, W. T. Arberry; constable, Ben T. 
Wolf: commissioners, Milton Evans and Os- 
car Drumheller. 

The following were elected to the various 
offices in 1898: Representatives, C. C. Gose 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUXTY, 



117 



and Grant Copeland; sheriff, A. Frank Kees; 
clerk, Sciniyler Arnokl ; auditor, C. N. Mc- 
Lean; treasurer, John W. McGhee, Jr.; attor- 
ney, Oscar Cain; assessor, Walter L. Cad- 
man ; superintendent of public schools. Grant 
S. Bond; surveyor, W. G. Sayles; coroner, 
Y. C. Blalock; justice of the peace, William 
Glasford; constable, Emil Sanderson; com- 
missioners, Delos Coffin and D. C. Eaton. 

The election of 1900 gave the following 
results : Representatives, Grant Copeland and 
John Geyer; senators, \V. P. Reser and O. T. 
Cornwell; superior judge, Thomas H. Brents; 
l)rosecuting attorney, Oscar Cain ; auditor, C. 
N. McLean; clerk, Schuyler Arnold; sheriff, 
A. Frank Kees; treasurer, W. B. Hawley; 
assessor, Walter L. Cadman ; surveyor, W. G. 
Sayles; superintendent of public schools, J. 
Elmer Myers; coroner, S. A. Owens; justice 
of the peace, William Glasford; constable, J. 
C. Hillman; commissioners, Edward Corn- 
well and Amos Cummings. 

At this election Judge Brents received the 
largest majority ever accorded a candidate in 
Walla Walla county, 2,324 votes being cast 
in his favor and 1,295 '" favor of the oppos- 
ing candidate. 

At the present time the county is divided 
into twenty-six voting precincts. A list of 
these precincts, with the vote cast in each for 
the elections of 1896 and 1900 will be ii.und 
interesting for comparison. 



1896. 

Baker 93 

Clarke 160 

Clyde 103 

Coppei 78 

Di.xie . . . .' 167 

Eureka 97 

I'reniont 283 



1900. 

lOI 

192 
152 

79 

162 

2^1 



Frenchtown 64 97 

Hadley 59 47 

Hill 59 80 

Lewis 244 287 

Lower Dry Creek 54 55 

Lower Touchet 20 26 

Mill Creek yj 66 

]\Iullan 93 91 

Prescott 155 170 

Ritz 235 262 

Russell Creek 55 49 

Sims 124 168 

Steptoe 123 127 

Stevens 259 334 

Small 207 216 

Waitsburg 198 269 

Wallula 105 94 

Washington 123 112 

Whitman 199 220 

Total vote 3434 3785 

Total vote in the city 1485 1670 

It may be of interest to readers desiring 
an accurate conception of the financial con- 
dition of the county to have here presented a 
few statistics from auditor's report for the 
fiscal year ending June 30, 1900. By this 
statement it is shown that the number of acres 
of improved land in the county is 252,159.90; 
of unimproved land. 351,256.42: total num- 
ber of acres assessed, 603,414.32; that the 
value of lands exclusive of improvements is 
$2,812,505; improvements on lands, $492,- 
805 ; total value of lands and improve- 
ments, $3,305,310: that the total value of 
railroad tracks withhi the county is $911,685; 
and of personal property, $2,126,945; that the 
total value of all taxable propertj- as assessed 
is $8,245,852. These figures were so modi- 
fied by state and county boards of equalization 



iiS 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUXTY. 



and corrections by auditor as to make the total 
valuation of property $8,247,952. The report 
is authority also for the statement that the 
total county indebtedness in 1900 was $90,- 
460.64. and that the cash in the county funds 
^vas $12,437.60, leaving a net indel)tedness of 
$78,023.04. 

ST.VTEIIOOD. 

The statistical summary of elections just 
given makes no mention of the great event in 
the history of Washington state, to-wit, its 
birth. In 1889 Washington became a state. 
Some of the efforts to attain this consummation 
liave already been noted in these jjages. The 
government in general did not realize the rapid 
growth of this region, .\fter 1883, with the 
completion of the Xorthern Pacific Railroad, 
population increased \ery rajiidly. The am- 
bitious and energetic inhabitants of the terri- 
tory felt eager to don the garb of statehood. 
The national administration, in 1888-9, began 
to see that it would be a suitable time to admit 
the largest group of states ever admitted at one 
time. The pressure from Washington. Mon- 
tana and Dakota had been unceasing. The 
government became satisfied that these three 
great territories fulfilled all the requisites nec- 
essary for statehood, .\ccordingly a liill was 
pcssed in 1889 providing for the creation of 
W'ashington, Montana, North Dakota and 
South Dakota. This great change in the his- 
tory of the territory stimulated all mani-.er of 
enterprises, and turned the attention of home- 
seekers throughout the I'nited States to Wash- 
ington as a region where they might well cast 
their lot. It is a matter of interest and pride 
to Walla Walla to note that the last territorial 
delegate, John ]]. .Mien, and tlie last territorial 
governor, Miles C. Moore, were citizens of this 
l)lace. In the constitutional con\ention which 



was summoned to meet in 1890 for the purpose 
of framing a constitution for the new .state, 
Judge B. L. Sharpstein, Dr. X. G. Rlalock and 

D. J. Crowley represented Walla Walla. 

In glancing back over the political liistory 
of this state and territory it may be observed 
th.at Walla Walla county has i^een largely rep- 
resented in state affairs. Of the congressional 
delegates from 1857 to 1888 four were citizens 
of \\'all;i Walla county. These were George 

E. Cole, elected in 1863, Alvin Flanders, in 
1867. Thomas H. Brents, in 1878. i8?o and 
1S82, and John B. Allen, in 1888. Three other 
citizens of \\'al!a Walla. J. D. .Mix. B. L. 
.Sharpstein and X. T. Caton, were nominees by 
the Democrats, but not elected. 

Miles C. Moore, for many years an honored 
citizen of Walla Walla, was appointed by Presi- 
dent Harrison t'o the governorship of Wash- 
ington in 1889. L'pon him. therefore, deviilvcd 
the bowing out of the territory ruid the usher- 
ing in of the state. Men of all panies united 
in testifying that 1>oth duties were performed 
with conspicuous ability. The political history 
since admission to statehood has been of a 
somewhat checkered character. The state has 
been in general strongly Republican, and yet 
all parties ha\-e been distracted with factional 
struggles. The first state legislature was^ 
strongly Republican and chose as the first sena- 
tors W. (1. Squire, of Seattle, and John B. 
.Mien, of Walla Walla. The first Republican 
state convention met in Walla Walla, and nomi- 
nated E. P. I'erry for governor and John L. 
Wilson for representative to congress. The Re- 
publican candidates were elected l)y a large 
majority. Of the subsequent bitter strife 
between the .\llcn and the Turner factions 
we will not here speak. Xor will we speak 
of the failure by reason of that strife 
to elect a senator in the year 1893, nor 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



119 



of tlie appointment by Governor McGraw 
of John B. Allen to fill the vacant place 
and his subsequent rejection by the sen- 
ate. These things belong rather to the his- 
tory of the state than the county, although 
these conditions (l<iniinatc<l the political affairs 
of the county. It was during this portion of 
the county history that the management of the 
state penitentiary became such a potent factor 
in both county and state politics. One ring 
after another got control of penitentiary affairs, 
and candidates for state or national offices 
found it wise to exercise great caution in deal- 
ing with those penitentiary rings. The ap- 
pointment by Governor McGraw of J. H. Cob- 
Icntz to the wardenship of the penitentiary, the 
slashing manner in which the latter undertook 
tT run the politics of the county, as well as 
the meekness with which the majority of the 
county statesmen submitted to the yoke, the 
frequent spreads and entertainments, some of a 
highly moral and religious character, the sub- 
sequent defalcation, and at last the tragic sui- 
cide of Warden Coblentz, — of these we need 
not speak at length, for are they not all written 
i'l the chronicles of the tax payers of Walla 
Walla? 

During the past five years the most intimate 
c< nnection between the politics of Walla Walla 
county and the state has been through the 
candidacy of Levi Ankeny for the senatorsliip. 
Although the A\'ilson ring and allied influences 
have thus far been able to prevent the election 
of Mr. Ankeny, yet he has the hearty support 



of almost all tlie different parties in his own 
C(junty. 

In the presideiuial election of 1896 the 
usual Republican majority was overcome by the 
fusion of the Democratic and Populist parties 
into the organization kn(jwn as the Peoples' 
party. The vote was 1,596 Republican, 1,652 
Peoples' party, 2)7 Prohibition, 64 Gold Demo- 
crat. The presidential election of 1900 saw the 
tide turned tlie other way. 

In spite of the agricultural occupation of 
the people of this county the Populist party is 
not so strong as in other portions of eastern 
Washington. A generally conservative impulse 
has kept the independent elements from making 
ar.v large accessi )ns from the ranks of orthodox 
voters. Apparently financial and personal 
motives possess greater influence than political 
and independent ones. It is plain that the great 
desideratum in both county and state politics 
is some large general interest, which is cajjable 
of creating a genuine patriotism and true pub- 
lic spirit. Such influences, though rare, and be- 
lieved by some cynics not to act at all. ncver- 
thiCless do come into existence at times, and are 
ill reality the only salvation of republican in- 
stitutions. 

It may well be expected that a region so 
highly favored by nature as Walla Walla, with 
so many iniluences tending to the creation of 
an intelligent, patriotic and liberty-loving po])- 
ulation, will in due sea.son create a high stand- 
ard of patriotism and political rectitude. 



CHAPTER XII 



THE LAND WE LIVE IN. 



Tlie preceding chapters have been mainly 
historical. Those remaining will be mainly de- 
scriptive. 

In this chapter we propose to view some of 
tlie general physical aspects of this great state 
in which Walla \\'alla county is located. After 
such a view of the state as a whole we shall 
find it the more interesting to traverse in 
imagination our own county, and arrive at a 
due conception of its rich resources. Of all 
jTeculiarities of the "Evergreen state," none is 
so impressive as its infinite variety. From the 
rolling grass plains of the eastern part to the 
arid flats of Yakima, from the aiguilletted and 
glacier-crested uplifts of Chelan or Okanogan 
t.i the smiling vales of Walla Walla, from the 
fog-shrouded shores of Puget sound to the 
drifting sands and perpetual sunshine of Ken- 
newick. with all the variety of products which 
conform to such differences of nature, — coal, 
gold, silver, wheat, cattle, fruit, wool, hay, lum- 
ber, fish, hops, etc.. ad infinitum, — we note that 
one predominant fact of variety. To stranger 
and resident alike this presents an indescrib- 
able charm. In one sense Washington has no 
characteristics, for it is both dry and wet, both 
clear and cloudy, both timbered and jtrairie, 
both mountainous and level, lx)th barren and 
li-.xuriant, both beautiful and dismal. Equally 
contrasted are its products. All characters, 
then, may be said to Ijelong to it. 

This grand and varied character of our 
great state has received its tribute of admira- 



tion from both x'isitors and citizens. W'e can- 
not render this chapter attractive in any better 
way than by quoting some of the best of these 
beautiful tributes. 

For a brief review of the progress and pres- 
ent conditions of the great state of \Vashington 
there can perhaps be found no more reliable and 
incisive account than the following, which ap- 
peared in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer of Sun- 
day, December 30, 1900: 

■'It is not too much to claim for the state 
of Washington that it is at least the equal of 
any state in the Union for diversity of resources 
and magnificence of opportunity, and far sur- 
passes most. Its location on the Pacific coast 
is shared by only two other states, neither of 
which contains within its boundaries all of the 
advantages possessed by the most northwestern 
of the states of the Union. Its great inland 
sea of Puget sound forms a harbor imrivaled 
by any other in the world. Its mountains are 
full of mineral, its forests will yield lumber for 
many years, its wheat fields produce as fine a 
quality of grain as any in the United States, 
its orchards are infinite in their variety, its 
meadows are richer than can be found any- 
where else, and as a dairy state it has no equal. 
Of no less importance is the fact that its climate 
is the most conducive to sustained energy. 
The temperature runs to neither extreme, and 
is absolutely free from blizzard, drouth, tornado 
or flood. 

"The state of Washington owes its name 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



121 



to a Kentucky member of congress named 
Stanton. The petition to be set off as a separate 
territory from Oregon was before congress as 
early as 1852, and the territory was created 
]\Jarch 2. 1853. The name proposed was Co- 
lumbia, but Stanton said : 'We have already a 
territory of Columbia. This district was called 
Columbia, but we never yet have dignified a 
territory with the name of Washington. I de- 
sire to see a sovereign state bearing the name 
of the father of this country. I therefore move 
to strike out the work Columbia wherever it 
occurs in the bill and insert instead thereof the 
word Washington.' 

"It remained a territory until 1889. Acting 
under an enabling act passed by congress, the 
constitution of the state of Washington was 
framed by a convention of seventy-five dele- 
gates chosen by the people of the territory, at 
an election held May 14, 1889, under the act of 
congress approved February 22. 1889. The 
convention met at Olympia July 4, 1889, and 
adjourned August 22, 1889. The constitution 
was ratified at an election held October i, 1889, 
and on November 11, 1889. the president of the 
United States proclaimed the admission of the 
state of Washington into the Union. It is 
worthy of note that the act of congress provid- 
ing for the state of W^ashington was approved 
on Washington's birthday. 

"Tlie state lies between the 4r)tli and 49th 
parallels of north latitude and the 117th and 
125th meridians of longitude west from Green- 
wich. It has an area of 69,994 square miles, 
and is. therefore, greater in area than any state 
east of the Mississippi, and is greater than all 
six New England states combined. In i860 it 
had a population of 11,594; in 1870. 23,955; 
ii' 1880, 75,116; in 1885, 130,465; in i8go 
its population was 349.390; and now it is 
518,103. 



"The first settlements were trading posts of 
the Hudson's Bay and Northwestern fur com- 
panies. There was a settlement of farmers 
from the Red river valley, who located at Nis- 
qually in 1841. There were also early mis- 
sionary settlements at Walla W^alla in 1835, 
and Spokane, then Fort Spokane, in 1838. The 
first American settlement on Puget sound was 
made in October, 1845, at New Market, now 
Tumwater. In 1880 the largest body of urban 
population in the state of Washington was 
found at Walla Walla, which had a population 
of 3,588. The next largest body was in Seattle, 
with its population of 3.533. 

"The early historical accounts of what is 
now the state of Washington are very meager. 
Most of the expeditions had some other object 
tlian possession of this part of the country. 
Expeditions by Juan de Fuca, Captain George 
Vancouver. Captain Robert Gray, by sea, and 
by Captain William Clark and Captain Meri- 
wether Lewis, by land, ha\-e left their marks 
'w now familiar names. There was also one 
unfortunate expedition undertaken in 1832, 
under Captain Bonneville, numbering one hun- 
dred and ten men and twenty wagons, which, 
starting from Fort Osage, reached as far west 
as Fort Walla Walla. 

"Captain Nathaniel J. Wyeth, of Massachu- 
setts, also in 1832, got as far west as Fort 
\'ancou\-er. John Ball, a member of his party, 
opened a school — the first known — at that 
place. One of his teachers describes it as a 
primitive Babel. 'The scholars.' he says, 
'came in talking in their respective languages — 
Cree. Nez Perce. Chinook, Klickitat,' and 
others whose names he did not know. Dr. 
Marcus Whitman is another of the heroic pio- 
neers who has impressed his personality upon 
the early history of the state. 

"President Pierce, whose vice-president was 



12: 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



nanieil Kinc;, apix)inted Major Isaac I. Stevens 
tlie first governor, and all of these are remem- 
bered in the names of counties. A subdivision 
of Stevens county was. in i<^99, createil a sep- 
arate county under tiie name of the first gov- 
ernor of the state, Eiislia P. Ferry. By proc- 
lamation. September 29, 1853. from the sum- 
n-.it of the Rocky mountains. Governor Stevens 
announced his assumption of his executive 
duties, and soon after he arrived at Olympia, 
the selected capital. 

"The remoteness of the new territory made 
it,= development very slow. The construction 
of the Xortliern Pacific Railroad, wliich it was 
intendeil to terminate at Olympia. but which 
was extended to Tacoma in 1880. is one of the 
great historical incidents in the development of 
the state. Even then it was supposed that 
Portlaml would be the real terminus, but work 
was pushed on, and on September 7, 1883, the 
last spike was driven. On Monday, the 5t!i day 
of July. 1887, the people of Washington com- 
memorated the arrival the day before of the 
first overland train direct from Duluth to Ta- 
coma. From that time the growth of the state 
has been rapid. The building of tiie Great 
Northern has placed the state on tiie line of 
another great transcontinental road, and many 
branches have since been addeil. 

"The surface of the state is separated into 
two great natural divisions by the Cascade 
range of mountains, extending from north to 
south, placing about two-thirds of the total 
area of the state in the eastern division. This 
division makes a great difference in climate, 
and the tno portions dift'er very much also in 
soil and resources. The western side is much 
more thickly populated, and its climate is moist 
and far less variable than that on the east, 
where winter anil summer are more distinctly 
marked. Eastern Washington is the valley' of 



the Columbia, while western Washington is the 
valley of Puget sound, lying between the Cas- 
cades and the Olympics. 

"In western Washington the strip of land 
bordering on the Pacific coast and extending 
back as far as the summit of the first mountain 
ranges has a wet climate; the region between 
the coast range and the Cascades has a moist 
climate, varying in the amount of annual pre- 
cipitation from twenty to sixty inches; in east- 
ern Washington the annual precipitation varys 
onh^ from fifteen to sixteen inches, although 
there is an irregular ring within which the 
rainfall varys from fifteen to twenty-five inches 
annually, and these diversities afTect th.e char- 
acter of the native productions. 

"The moisture of western Washington re- 
sults in wonderful richness of meadow prod- 
ucts. Hay. oats and hops are the principal field 
crops, but the valleys are splendidly adapted to 
culture of fruits, vegetables and flax, and to 
the pursuit of the dairy industry. The drier 
climate of eastern Washington has made the 
cultivation of wheat the principal source of 
wealth, but irrigation of the volcanic soil has 
resulted in a marvelous production of apples, 
pears, peaches, apricots, cherries and all small 
fruit. 

"The mountains of the state of Washing- 
ton are entitled to special mention on account 
of their grandeur of scenery and their timber 
lands. Beautiful though many of its mountains 
are. there is none anywhere which can com- 
pare with Mount Rainier. With an altitude 
officially given as 14.444 teet. although it is 
actually nearer 15.000. it is the third highest 
peak <in the continent, but it stands first in 
grandeur and sublimity. The higher altitudes 
ot" these mountains give fir. hemlock and 
spruce: the tablelands fir and spruce: the val- 
Icvs fir. cedar, spruce, cottonwood, maple and 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



123 



alder. Mucli of this timber is surpassed in size 
only by the redwood forests of California. 

"At one time the mountains harbored the 
mountain lion, but he has almost disappeared, 
and of animals to be feared there are left only 
the bald-faced bear of the Cascade mountains, 
although on the east side there may be found 
occasionally a remnant of the wolf family in 
the gray wolf, the black w^olf, and coyote. The 
cougar — the mountain lion — the lyn.x and wild- 
cat are almost entirely extinct. The grand 
game of t!ie state is the elk, which is still to 
be found in the Olympic mountains. On the 
eastern side of the Cascades the mule deer 
stands next to the elk in size and grace. White- 
tailed deer, black-tailed deer, wild goat and 
many fur-bearing animals are to be found, and 
occasionally the mountain sheep, or big horn, 
r- to be seen. Of upland game, grouse, quail 
and snipe are plentiful. There is a sufficient 
quantity of water fowl, of Canada geese and 
of many varieties of duck, plover and curlew 
t) tempt the hunter. The waters of Puget 
sound, of the rivers and the coast teem with 
fish, including salmon, sturgeon, halibut, smelt, 
cod, flounders, oysters and clams. 

"Variety of resources is not more consid- 
erable than quantity. The state of Washington 
produces the largest merchantable timber, and 
has the largest mill in the world : it has the 
largest cannery in the world, and its jfroduc- 
tion of wheat, timothy hay, alfalfa and hops, 
to the acre, is greater than in any other state 
IT the Union. Oats run from forty to eighty 
bushels per acre, and barley from thirty to 
seventy bushels per acre. 

"The wheat yield runs from twenty to 
thirty-five bushels per acre, and even more, 
reaching as high as sixty bushels in the famous 
Palouse belt, and three crops of alfalfa can be 



raised in one year. Hay cuts from two to four 
tons to the acre, two crops a season. 

"One of the great resources of the state, 
'second only in importance to lumber, is its coal. 
In the southern part of King and in Pierce 
county the coal deposits are estimated to be 
practically inexhaustible. The character of 
much of the coal is bituminous and semi-bi- 
tuminous, making 66 to 68 per cent. coke. 

■"Mining has not yet been made a feature 
of the state industries, but gold, silver and lead 
mines are being developed rapidly. Copper is 
found in very large quantities, and tin has been 
discovered. Lime is of the finest quality, and 
good pottery clay is found in several counties. 
Apart from the advantages of warnnh and 
moisture which cause grass, flowers and various 
kinds of vegetation to grow the winter through, 
and justify the application of the name of Ever- 
green state as a distinctive description, the 
climate of the state of Washington is of \'ast 
importance in the consideration of personal 
comfort. The equability oi temperature is due 
to the fact that the prevalent winds are from 
the Pacific ocean. \''ery rarely, during two 
nvjnths of the year, the wind blows from the 
north, for tW'O or three days at a time, but the 
winters are made mild and warm and the sum- 
mers cool aufl no less mild, through the action 
of the wind passing over the pathway of the 
Japan current. This breeze, coming from the 
westerly and southwesterly points, is called the 
Chinook wind, and its effect is that every in- 
dustry can be followed with comfort through- 
out the entire year. 

"A state possessing this great natural temp- 
tation to those who have suffererl from the ex- 
treme heat and extreme cold of other parts of 
the country, accompanied as it is by such mar- 
velous resources, cannot fail to become one of 



124 



HISTORY OF WALLA \\^\LLA COUNTY. 



the wealthiest in tiie L'niun. To the settler the 
state offers great \irgin forests, made up of 
trees two and three hundred feet high, some 
of them running over one hundred and fifty 
feet to the first limh; a soil which makes a 
farm of twenty to forty acres e(|ual to one of 
eighty or one hundred and sixty in the middle 
or western states ; orchards hearing fruit of the 
value of two dollars and three dollars to the 
tree : homesteads each of which w ill raise 
enough in variety to maintain a family within 
its own limits ; vast resources of mineral wealth ; 
opportunities for every kind of industry grow- 
ing out of all this ahundance ; a ready resix)nse 
to the efforts of the industrious and a rich 
harvest for intelligently directed capital." 

The general features thus belonging to the 
state as a whole find some of their most perfect 
(ie\-elopments in the vast area known as the 
'"Inland Empire." 

THE INL.^ND EMPIRIC. 

The city of Walla Walla is recognized as 
representing the garden spot of the immense 
territory fittingly designated as the Inland Em- 
pire, and the old and historic county of similar 
name, ^^'alla Walla, lays just claim to as mani- 
fold attractions and as distinct a plethora of 
]);-oductive utilities as any section of the Pacific 
northwest. 

The Inland Empire is the vast and mar- 
velous region of country between the Rockies 
and the Cascade range of mountains, compris- 
ing all of eastern Washington, northern Idaho, 
v.-estern Montana, northeastern Oregon and 
southern portions of British Columbia. It has 
ail area of more than one hundred and twenty 
thousand square miles, — three times as large 
as the great Empire state, and with a popula- 
' tion exceeding half a million people and rapidly 



increasing. It is a region with hardly a rival 
in enchanting scenery and picturesque sublimity 
and varying forms of beauty. In it are found 
al' the inspiring phenomena that any aspiring 
lover of nature can desire. He can find broad 
and rolling i)rairics stretching in all direc- 
tions, verdure-clad plateaus, bordered by hills 
ci owned with sturdy pines ; and in the distance 
lofty and rugged mountains, rising higher and 
higher, pile on pile, the towering, majestic 
peaks wrapped in eternal snow. The moun- 
tains, fi.xed and inflexible as the granite of the 
Everlasting Will, — thsy "hurl oppression back; 
they keep the boon of liberty." Here one may 
w itness with wondering awe the results of the 
awful uphea\"als of ])rime\'al days, when the 
earth was twisted and tossed into a shapeless 
mass. He can look into the yawning, abysmal 
canyons and deep gorges worn out by rushing 
and foaming and ceaseless torrents for ages 
unknown : or upon the massive glaciers whose 
origin history fails to record. The lover of 
nature can revel in the enjoyment of an ever 
changing landscape, amid scenes which the Al- 
mighty alone could design and frame. It is be- 
yond the potentiality of human hands to paint 
them, and words fail to describe their dazzling 
beauty. It is a region of plains and prairies, 
of fertile valleys and of thick forests. The 
grandeur of the ensemble is accentuated by 
wide contrasts. There are lakes and streams 
in great variety. Portions of it have been 
designated as the "paradise of the sportsman." 
In the streams and lakes the fish are sufficiently 
plentiful to gratify the devotee of the rod and 
line, and the expert shot can scarcely fail to 
drop a curlew or chicken on the prairie, a 
grouse in the woods, a duck or goose on the 
lakes, and a deer or bear in the distant ravines 
or isolated valleys. This region is not only 
wonderful on account of its untold stores of 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



125 



the rare and beautiful, where nature has spread 
her "banquets of health and beauty," but is 
also one hardly paralleled in diverse resources, 
which are almost limitless, and sufficient to 
maintain a population of many millions. There 
are rich agricultural sections, millions of acres 
in extent, such as the far famed Walla Walla 
valley, with the fine foot-hill farms of the 
Blue mountains, the Palouse country and the 
Big Bend, — each producing thousands of bush- 
els of wheat and other cereals annually. The 
prospector has already unearthed hidden min- 
eral wealth and treasures priceless to science 
and the uses of man. Wonderful discoveries 
have been made and are being made, and those 
yet to be made are inconceivable in the human 
mind. It is not within the province of this 
work to describe the mining districts of the 
Ir.land Empire, — they are almost too numerous 
to mention, and to adequately describe them a 
volume would be required. But consistency 
demands that reference be made to this im- 
portant branch of industrial activity which has 
had so important a bearing upon the develop- 
ment of all sections of the great Inland Em- 
pire, of which Walla Walla county is an in- 
tegral part and a glowing gem in its diadem. 

THE LEGEND OF THE W.\LL.\ W.\LL.\ V.\LLEY. 

In an attractive and valuable special edition 
of the Walla Walla Daily Statesman, issued 
under date of March 4, 1899, appears the fol- 
lowing romantic old-time story of how the 
county became the most beautiful and fertile 
section of the state, — incomparalile for the 
raising of cereals, fruit, grasses and live stock: 

"Once, long years ago, when the world was 
young and Dame Nature still in her 'teens, 
there was a beautiful lake. Brightly its blue 
waters gleamed in the sunlight, or moved re- 



sponsive to the wooing of the winds. Above 
iU shining surface circled the eagles and from 
out its wooded shores the swarthy savage 
pushed his bark canoe. About it, held close by 
strong encircling arms, stood the mountains, 
stern, unyielding, eternal. 

"Long had the lake been captive here. 
Vainly had it beat against the rock for liberty, 
now in anger, now in soft entreaty. The moun- 
tain heard in stony silence the pleading at his 
feet. 

"For many years the lake in patience waited. 
The sun kissed it, the winds caressed it. yet 
always did it long for freedom. One day the 
mountain's vigilance rela.xed, a tiny rift ap- 
peared within the rock and silently the lake 
crept through ; all the night so softly did it flee, 
the mountain did not know, but kept watch in 
peace until dawn revealed his desolation. 

"Great was the lamentation ; seamed and 
seared with grief, the mountain gazed upon the 
naked valley upon whose bosom so late the 
lake had slept. Slowly great rivulets of tears 
rolled down the rugged face. One by one in 
pitying silence the \alley gathered them upon 
its bosom, until the time should be the mountain 
might forget his grief and find comfort in its 
beauty. 

"As the years went on the valley grew so 
fair with the shining waters, worn like jewels 
on its breast, that day by day in the heart of 
the mountain the memory of the past grew dim, 
until at last the image of the lake Avas lost. 
Gladness spread over the face of the mountain, 
joy reigned in the heart of the valley. Then 
was the land of many waters fair as the day 
to look upon. 

"The above is a legend of the beautiful 
\\'alla Walla valley, about whose wealth and 
resources so much has already been written ; 
about whose marvelous development so much 



126 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUXTY. 



nil lie will he written as the coniinj^' years un- 
fold the tale. 

"There are many wonderful valleys in the 
world. — valleys so famous for one thins;- and 
ariother, the name of them is known the world 
over. It is not the purpose of this article to 
invite comparisons with the Old World, but 
i". is not too much to assert, that no where in 
these United States will a valley be found 
which exceeds this \\'alla Walla country in all 
that goes to make up natural beauty and nat- 
ural wealth. It is an emjiire in itself. Its pos- 
sibilities are practically illimitable. ICxery aid 
which nature cordd gi\e is here bestowed with 
a hand so generous, so lavish, that one is lost 
in wonder at so rich an endowment. 

"The approach to this valle\- from the west 
is not prepossessing. Great fields of sand, like 
those which line the ocean beach, lead the way 
to it. A desert, the effect of which is to dampen 
the anlor of even the most enthused traveler. 
But not for long. 

"When the miles of sand stretch away be- 
hind, and he sees before him the promise of 
things more fair, all the enthusiasms come 
thronging back, and he enters the valley only 
tc find his spirits mount higher and higher as 
the beauty and fertility of the country unfold 
before him. 

"Tlie fame of this valley as an agricultural 
center is abroad in the land, and justly so. Its 
record of the production of wheat and other 
cereals is imparalleled anywhere in the I'nited 
States. Even the great wheat-growing state 
of Dakota must take second j^lace in a com- 
parison of the yield per acre. Alillions of bush- 
els of grain are raised here yearly of as tine a 
quality as can be found anywhere in the world. 
The yield is astonishing. When the average 
is placed at twenty-five bushels to the acre 
it is a very modest figure indeed. It might 



he put twenty bushels higher and still lie within 
the limits of truth. 

"The other cereals grow e(|ually well. Bar- 
ky, oats, rye and buckwheat all yield immense 
crops of the best grade. In fact there is nothing 
the soil of this valley will not grow in aliund- 
ance, barring, of course, the tropical products 
and corn. The climate of Washington is not 
adapted to the successful culture of corn. The 
nights are too cool. Many of the farmers do 
raise it, and some of the finest varieties of 
sweet corn are grown successfully, but among 
the great pnulucts of this \alley corn really has 
no place. 

"(Irasses of all kinds are raised with ad- 
mirable success: alfalfa yielding the most per 
acre, and there are two. three and often four 
crops each }'ear. Clover grows abundantly and 
timothv yields anywhere from one to three tons 
per acre. The native grasses run riot. The 
farmer who raises stock as well as wheat has 
m need to worr_\- about feed. 

"It is a great country for stock of all kinds, 
cows, sheep, horses, hogs, and the market is 
sure. Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, \^ancouver 
and all the cities of western Washington must 
get their supplies in large measure from the 
\allevs across the mountains. The difficulty 
thus far has been, not in finding a market for 
stock or their products, InU in filling the orders 
which flood the market. Thousands of dol- 
lars go out of the state aimually for Initter, 
eggs, cheese, etc., which ought to remain at 
h.ome. The valley of Walla AValla alone is 
wide enough and rich enough to supply all 
these things in abundance. It is not too much 
to believe that some day it will be so. 

"The Walla Walla valley is a great fruit 
country. It would be a matter of difikulty to 
find anywhere in this country finer fruit than 
is grown in this valley. In point of size, color- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



127 



iiig, flavor and general all-round perfection of 
development there is no question but the Walla 
Walla fruits rank among the first. The east- 
ern farmer, especiallj- the man from ^Minnesota 
or the Dakotas, is familiar with 'grain fields. 
Ke knows all about the possibilities of wheat 
culture, the care of stock, the raising of poultry. 
But when he comes to Washington and takes 
a good look at the famous orchards of the 
Walla \\'alla valley it is then that he marvels. 
He knows nothing like them. There is nothing 
like them even further east, where famous 
orchards do exist. This valley leads the world 
almost in the wealth and (juality of its fruits. 

".Apples, surely the best all-round fruit 
which the Maker of the universe gave to man, 
are grown here in such abundance and in such 
perfection as to challenge the world to pro- 
duce their equal. 

"There is just enough of real cold in the 
climate of this section of Washington to de- 
velop and retain the fine flavor, which is notice- 
ably absent in the Sound country apples. Pears 
also reach the highest possible state of perfec- 
tion, and prunes of all varieties, and plums. 
There is no state in the Union which grows 
finer fruit of this variety than are found in 
the Walla \\'alla valley. 

'"All of the smaller fruits grow in the great- 
est profusion. Strawberries are an immense 
crop ; certainly none of finer fla\-or or of greater 
size are grown anywhere in the world. They 
are superb, and cherries, they are perfect, large, 
luscious, finely colored, deliciously flavored. 
From the time the trees are in bloom until the 
last cherry is gone they are a source of pleas- 
ure, satisfaction and profit. 

"As to grapes, the soil of this valley is per- 
fectly adapted to their culture. \\'estern Wash- 
ington has no grapes practically, the climate 



is too cool to ripen them. But in the \\'alla 
Walla valley the vines groan with their weight 
01 perfect fruit. Grapes from this valley rival 
the California product in all'the eastern mar- 
kets. 

"This is true of all the fruits except the 
purely tropical kinds. Whether it is pears or 
apples, plums or prunes, or any of the smaller 
berries, the soil fairly abandons itself to the 
growth of fruit, and the result is a perfection 
of development rarely excelled. 

"\^egetables of all kinds may be said to 
run riot. They mature early ; lettuce, radishes, 
asparagus, cauliflower and all of the green 
grocer's stock of edibles, which charm the eye 
and tempt the appetite, are marketable very 
early in the season. They seem to grow all the 
year round, for the markets are never without 
this supply of home grown green things. Mar- 
ket gardening pays well. There is always a 
ready sale for fine vegetables and prices rule 
generally higher than in eastern markets. 

"The climate of this valley is almost ideal. 
The rainfall is not heavy. There is some snow 
for a few weeks, perhaps — and sometimes the 
mercury drops rather low, but never for long. 
In the valley it is rarely too cold for comfort. 
Farmers plough until Christmas time and the 
crops are all sown in the fall of the year. By 
March usually, often as early as February, 
work is again resumed and from then on there 
is mild, delightful weather with occasional 
rains. During the summer for a month or two, 
or perhaps three, the weather is warm and there 
is no rain. This season, owing to the dry 
weather, is a bit disagreeable on account of 
dust. This of course is obviated in the city, 
but out in the farm districts along the country 
roads it is so disagreeable as to occasion no 
little discomfort. But where mav be found 



128 



HISTORY OF \\"ALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



a climate witlnnit even one defect? This one 
i-i l)ut slight at the most, for the rest of the 
year the weather is without reproach. 

"Historically' the valley is interesting. It 
was once the home of powerful trilies of In- 
dians whose tepees dotted the green slopes, and 
whose ponies roamed at will over the beautiful 
undulating ground. Far and near rode the 
hunters in search of game, while the patient 
squaws remained in the valley gathering the 
fruits which grew almost without culture, dry- 
ing roots and herbs and herding the vast num- 
ber of ponies which made up a large part of 
the Indian's wealth. They were happy here 
and content. 

"But the wliite man came, as he always 
does, bringing with him energy and ambition 
ard civilization, attributes which the Indian 
holds in supreme disdain. For years the few 
trading companies tried to gain a permanent 
foothold among the tribes, but the Indians 
were warv until the Hudson's Bay Company's 
men came on, then for the first time a treaty 
was effected and a permanent trading post es- 
tablished. This was in 1828. A year or two 
later the old Fort Walla Walla, whose ruins 
are yet in evidence, was built. 

"Closely following the Hudson's Bay Com- 
pany came Dr. Whitman, to whom, perhaps, 
more than to any other single agency belongs 
the credit of opening up this marvelous valley 
to civilization. He saw the wonderful natural 
advantages the valley offered to the home- 
seeker and it was not long before a tide of im- 
migation set in which has not yet begun to ebb. 

"Fremont also visited the Walla Walla 
country. His published statements regarding 
this mountain-girt Eden were widely read, in- 
teresting thousands and inducing many to find 
here home and health and wealth. 

"So the fame of Walla Walla grew. As the 



years have come and gone, the valley has grown 
fairer and richer and more desirable, and the 
end is not yet. It already is one of the wealth- 
iest sections of country of the great Pacific 
northwest. * \\'ith the hands of comn'ierce now 
reaching out to grasp new fields and to make 
new gains ; with markets constantly opening, 
the wealth of Walla Walla valley will one day 
surpass even the dreams of wealth which dazzle 
the imagination of men. If the state of Wash- 
ington fufills its manifest destiny, and takes 
its rightful place among the most important of 
these L'nited States, certainly ranking fore- 
most in the Pacific group, a prediction like the 
alxjve comes quite within the limits of prob- 
ability. • 

"There is no valley in the world which 
promises more to the home-seeker. Here is 
beauty, for nothing in nature could be fairer 
than this valley, stretching away for miles and 
niilcs. its green slopes reaching the summits of 
its mountain wall, its rivers making music as 
they ripple over the undulating ground. 

"On a midsummer day when the fields are 
bright with their wealth of grain, when the 
trees hang heavy with fruit, then it is that 
the valley seems fairly to exult in her beauty, 
and nature smiles at so rich a harvest. Here 
also is fertility of soil in a degree almost mar- 
velous; there seems a magic in the ground, 
which year after year yields its bounty so free- 
ly : there are no barren lands, e\'ery foot of the 
millions of acres is productive. So generous 
has been the hand of nature in this regard that 
even the slopes of the mountains are available 
for cultivation. Even here may the farmer sow 
seed and reap his harvest. 

"Here also is a climate than which it were 
hard to find a better. To the farmer of the 
east, weary with the heat of many summers, 
prostrating alike to brain and body, or worn 



HISTORY OF W' ALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



129 



with tl'_e rigors of succeeding winters, whose 
Ijitter, Ijiting cold seems to nuni!) his very 
vitals, the chmate i>t this vaUey is the next 
thing to paradise. It gives him a rarified at- 
mosphere, wiiich keeps Iiim young. It gives 
him an ef|uable temperature, which permits 
him to be comfortable at least for nine months 
of the year. During the other three, which 
comprise the few weeks of weather too hot 
and the few weeks of weather too cold, he may 
have refuge from the one by flight to the 
mountains, a few miles distant, where blankets 
arid fire-wood are much in demand. From the 
other he nia_\' have release liv the light of his 
own fireside, from whose warmth and comfort 
lie may view with indifference the snows which 
briefly fly about its walls, and may listen with 
complacency to the winds which Ijeat against 
them. 

"It is a significant fact that those who come 
to the Walla \\'alla valley to build a home re- 
main here, and uKire, they grow rich. This 
\'alley is noted for its iirnsperous farms, its 
v,'ell-to-do ]ie()ple. The wlmle vallev has a look 
of thrift ; prosperity is written all over its broad 
acres. To the man of money seeking new 
fields of investment where profit and sure re- 
turns are promised, the \\'al]a \\'alla country 
ofi^ers opportunities unef|ualled. To the man 
who seeks a home, to the one whose only cap- 
ital is his brain or his good right hand, it of- 
fers a fair chance in the pursuit of all that men 
find dear. Industry, energy and ambition are 
all the capital a man need have; tlie vallev will 
do the rest." 

The following tribute to the "beautiful 
Walla Walla valley" is re])roduced from the 
edition of the Inland Eni]>ire of .August. 1900: 
"When the unerring hand of nature made 
the fertile hills and beautiful valleys which com- 
prise the territory now known as the Walla 



Walla \alley, and the All-Seeing eye looked 
upon them and said they were good, nothing 
sh.nrt of infinite wisdom could have made an 
attempt at telling any thing of the greatness 
and \alue to the world which future genera- 
tions would Ijring to the seemingly insignificant 
part of creation. .\nd, even to-day when we 
look out u])on a well developed country, when 
we see thousands of happy hi_)mes and pros- 
perous farmers and business men, when we 
behold about us a rising generation of patriotic 
and energetic young people, and looking toward 
the setting sun we note the opening of a new 
era ()f expansion in commerce and new ax'enues 
of industry, we ha\-e as little real idea of how 
future years will develop it as had our an- 
cestors of hundreds of years ago. The past we 
ha\-e seen and heard of, the future is all hidden 
in mystery and expectation. 

"Centuries passed and man in all his wis- 
dom and enterprising exploration pressed from 
the banks of Plymouth Rock to the westward 
across a country peopled by wild men, endur- 
ing all the hardships of pioneer experience, 
before the hand of fortune pointed the way to 
the section of country of which we speak, and 
almost discouraged with the wilds of the west, 
the early ])ioneer could not make up his mind 
to cast his lot in so lonely a place. But when 
once he had tested nature and found the fer- 
tility of the soil, the abundant supply of i)ure 
and wholesome water, the balmy climate and 
litautiful natural surroundings, he changed his 
mind and remained for a season. Imbueil with 
the fact that he had made no mistake, at the 
end of the year the sturdy pioneer found him- 
self more content and the future looked brighter 
and more promising. Others, of like sturdy 
natures, came and made friends with him, and 
— behold the change ! Where but yesterday 
was a vast expanse of hills and valleys, un- 



I30 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



productive and worthless, to-day were seen the 
foundations of homes, of firesides and of for- 
tunes. 

"The constant and untiring tread of prog- 
ress was westward and northward. Yet nature 
had so set apart from the other portion of the 
country the little \alley tliat it was not found 
as readily as some other places, and wlien 
found was more isolated and difficult of ap- 
proach. Surrountled In' high mountain ranges, 
traversed by ri\ers which, with the means at 
hand, could not be crossed, the valley was so 
set apart that its neighbors were beyond the 
mountains, and must be ever so. Rugged nat- 
ural conditions made the construction of high- 
ways and railroads a difficult matter, and at 
first the progress of the new country was slow 
and made under great tribulation. But the 
people came, tliey saw, they conquered. 

"Fifty years ago a band of sturdy soldiers 
pitched their tents wh8re to-day is the city 
of W'alla Walla. They were sent by the gov- 
ernment to protect the few white inhabitants 
from the incursions of the Indians, who 
abounded in all parts of the valley. The sol- 
diers were good judges of conditions, and 
when they found an ideal camping spot there 
tliey stopped and waitLnl. The government or- 
dered erected a garrison, and soon the busy 
mechanic was placing together the rough tim- 
bers which were to constitute the first Fort 
Walla Walla. The signs of life brought to the 
place b\- the new order of things induced men 
of enterprise and foresight to come and es- 
tablish themselves in the trade they saw 
in the new territory. Men came and began 
to build a city. Year after year they 
worked, and each recurring twelve-month 
made great improvements in conditions and 
in business. The little band of' ])ioneers 
was strengthened and it grew into a commu- 



nity. The community became a village, and 
the \illage developed into a town. Then the 
town became the leading trading place in the 
whole section of country from which it drew 
its business, and for hundreds of miles the 
name of Walla Walla meant the hub of com- 
merce to the people as fully as Xew York does 
to us of this generation. 

"Success always brings decadence or 
lethargy in its wake. And for years after suc- 
cess had come to \^'alla Walla the tinge of 
lethargy fastened itself upon the community, 
and it ceased to grow and expand as it had 
in (lays past. Then a new era of progress and 
de\elopment came, and of that we of to-day 
know about all there is to be told. New life 
was infused into the city and growth took the 
place of dormant energies. New people came 
and made new homes, new industries took the 
places then vacant. After a few years of this 
energetic development we have the Walla 
A\'alla of to-day. 

"Great-hearted nature has done a great deal 
for the places which man has tried to build 
up. In fact, nature always lays the founda- 
tion and man comes along and erects the super- 
structure. New York was given a harbor. 
New Orleans a great river opening to the gulf, 
San Francisco was given the Golden Gate to 
the Pacific, Seattle and Tacoma were pre- 
sented with a Puget Sound, Spokane, the queen 
of the northwest, was tendered l)y nature a 
wonderful cataract, yet \\'alla ^^'alla was not 
neglected. The gifts were not parcelled out 
parsimoniously, yet in the distribution Walla 
Walla was given her share. No sjwt in all 
the broad land, no city within the Ixtrders of 
our countrv has received from a kind nature 
more smiles than has our city. Surrounded 
by a most fertile section of country, stretch- 
ii;g scores of miles in every direction, at the 



HISTORY OF W^ALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



131 



■confluence of sparkling mountain streams af- 
fording a bountiful supply of water for do- 
mestic, irrigation and ind.ustrial purposes, the 
location is ideal. The Blue mountains frown 
down upon the cit\' in grim sturdiness. remind- 
ing one of the great sturdy men and women 
who have taken such an acti\-e pnrr in the 
progress and development of the \alley. With 
mountain and stream, the rugged hills and 
pleasant \-alleys present a landscape which f(M- 
real beauty and picturesqueness of effect, is 
rarely equalled and never excelled. 

"In the early development of the valley the 
live-stock industry was an important factor, 
as stock fed all the year upon tha luxuriant 
growth of bunch-grass which covered the hill- 
sides from Snake river to the southward for a 
hundred miles or more. Great droves of 
horses, cattle and sheep were raised and from 
the sales of stock came fortunes easily and 
quickly. As the settlement became mere gen- 
eral the pasture disappeared and the produc- 
tion of wheat began. The grain grew well and 
the yields reported in an early day were gen- 
erally large. When trans])ortatii)n facilities 
were secured good money was made year in 
and year out by farmers and the business of 
the country was very good. The foundations 
for the successful men and the manv furtunes 
which are to be found now were laid in the 
early days of wheat raising in the \-alley of 
many waters. 

"As the years went liy the lack of fruit was 
imted and men were led to consider the neces- 
sity of planting orchards for the pmdurtion of 
fruits for local consumption. The market was 
limited and the territory which could be drawn 
on was necessarily circumscribed. But orchards 
were planted, and from them has sprung the 
great horticultural interests of the .section of 
to-day. The little tract of fruit trees has given 



way to the large orchards where hundreds of 
acres of land antl scores of men and boys are 
employed in the production and packing of 
fruits for the markets which have now widened 
ami broadened until the supply is not equal to 
the demand. Hundreds of carloads of fruits 
and berries are shipped from the cit\- e\-ery 
years to points in INIontana, Idaho, British Co- 
lumbia and Sound cities, where Walla Walla 
fruits are in demand over the article sent in 
frnm California. 

"The Walla W'alla valley proper is a large 
l:)elt of agricultural land lying south of Snake 
ri\er and west of the Blue mountains, extend- 
ing across the Oregon line on the south. It 
comprises the valley lands, the Eureka Flat 
country, a high plateau where wheat grows as 
naturally as weeds, the upper or foothill lands 
near the mountains anrl all of the lower bottom 
lands, used mostly for gardening. .\ great 
rich belt of land producing millions of bushels 
of wheat and barley and hundreds of carloads 
of fruit and vegetables annually, capable of 
maintaining a population of a million souls, is 
a brief description of the valley as it is to-dav. 

"Fortunate is that communit\' so fa\-ored 
b\ the gifts of nature that its descriptive story 
plainly told attracts and interests the wanderer 
in less fa\-ored climes. Strained efforts In- 
deft penmen to show conditions which do not 
exist: elaborate effusions and exaggerations to 
draw attention to cities and districts possessing 
no particular adxantages or charms, have long 
since ceased to attract the home-seeker or in- 
vestor. .\ simple rehearsal of what a commu- 
nity possesses in natural and acquired wealth, 
like the sayings of the plain, blunt man. elicits 
more attention that the grandiloquent effort 
where boom propensities are all too apparent. 

"That section of the Walla Walla valley ad- 
jacent to Walla Walla is indeed a favored sec- 



'3: 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



tion. It is a \'ast expanse oi fertile lields, bur- 
dened orcliards and prolific nature. To one 
e\en imrtially ac(|uainicil wit'.i its natural wealth 
tl'.ere is an inspiration in the subject. Imagina- 
tion does not have to be called into play, as 
the varied topics which the subject suggests 
give the writer a sufficient range upon which 
tc dwell indefinitely. 

"Think ! Orchards of luscious fruit and 
fields of wa\ing grain ; hills of precious metals 
arid dales of fertile soil ; rain and sunshine ; 
running brooks; pleasant nooks in hidden dales, 
and busy marts of trade; swift rushing trains 
over transcontinental rail, — all these, and many 
more topics, are suggested to the mind when 
Walla \\'alla is mentioned. It is easy to begin 
but hard to end. 

"This growing city is yet in its infancy, — 
just beginning to assume metropolitan propor- 
tions. The view of the city to the stranger, 
particularly in the summer season, is most in- 
viting. A panorama of wide and beautiful 
streets, lined with shade trees. The scene is one 
that never fails to inspire the weary traveler, 
after his dusty journey across the continent. 
On e\ery hand he cannot but observe the evi- 
dence of thrift and commercialism. He will 
find that nearly every person he meets is busy 
or intent on doing something-. When the 
stranger shall have pursued his in\estigations 
further he will discover that this bustling little 
city is built for all time and is the natural trad- 
ing center for a very ricli and extensive countrv. 

"A mistaken idea prevails that society in the 
northwest is different from what it is in the 
older commonwealths of the countrv. This 
^vas partially true in times gone by, but happily 
it is no longer the case, only in the particular 
that it is only those of an enterprising turn 
of mind who seek homes in a new country; con- 
se(|uently, the general spirit of the new west 



is more actixe and liberal than the staid old 
commonwealths of the east." 

The following excerpt from the history of 
Washington, edited by Julian Hawthorne and 
Colonel G. Douglas Brewerton, and issued in 
1893, is worthy of reproduction in this con- 
nection : 

"Walla Walla county, still Indian, and, 
alas, but too suggestive, as we turn the pages 
of \\'ashington"s blood-stained history, of the 
war-whoop and the scalping-knife, comes next 
uniler our re\iew. Its Astoria, Walla Walla 
and \'ancouver are household words in the 
story of territorial strife and struggle and in- 
delibly associatsd with the darkest of her early 
days. They are to the native of Washington 
"to the luanor horn" what the tower of London 
is to the Englishman. — the repository of dread- 
ful deeds and by-gone sorrows, — for we make 
history more rapidly in our daj's than in those 
vaunted 'good old times.' As we breathe the 
name, the syllables of Walla Walla trip giid- 
inglv o\-er the tongue with the musical step of 
many another Indian appellation, as, for in- 
stance, ^linnehaha; it is appropriate, withal, for 
a,- the latter means 'laughing water." so Walla 
\'\'alla signifies 'valley of waters," which is even 
better, for we ha\-e seen Minnehaha in the arid 
season when it laughed not at all. It is de- 
rived from 'Walatsa." meaning 'running' — for 
it carries both the interpretations, — but this is 
the less mellifluous Xez Perce, the Walla Walla 
or Wallula meaning the same thing, being taken 
from the language of the tribe whose name it 
bears. — the Walla Wallas. This region is, in- 
deed, well naiued the 'valley of waters.' From 
whence, we \vonder. does the "Siwash" get his 
p-oeticrd inspiration, for it would ofttimes puzzle 
tlie paleface to better either the beauty or ap- 
propriateness of his nomenclature. It can not 
be inherent, still less inherited. It is, we fancy. 



I-IISTORY OF WALLA \\'ALLA COUXTY. 



133 



unconsciously absorbed from tlie surroundings 
(natural, we mean, not artificial) of his every- 
day life. However he gets it, it may not be 
denied that the divine afflatus is held in most 
repulsive vessels, the filthy, unwashed jar of 
the red man's human clay. Of a surety poor 
Pegasus was never prisoned in a filthier stall. 
"To return to more prosaic themes, Walla 
\\'alla county was admitted in 1854, the only 
one of the southeastern Washington counties 
created with the establishment of the territory. 
It then embraced all the valley of the Columbia 
east of tlie Cascades, an area of nearh' two 
hundred thousand square miles. — an imperial 
domain, as it has very properly been called. It 
has. however, suffered successive curtailments 
till reduced to its present dimensions of thirteen 
Inuidred square miles. AMiat is left,' says 
Evans, 'is the oldest, best cultivated, and in 
every respect the most advanced part of Wash- 
ington.' Yet this grand expanse of exceedingly 
desirable country, in all its original fullness and 
fertility, was shut out from settlement for an 
extended season, through the foolish or vin- 



(hctix'e actions of General ^^'ool, who endorsed 
the equally sliort-sighted policy of his sub- 
ordinate. Colonel Wright. — a policy that pro- 
tected the Lulian, neglected the wliite, and prac- 
tically relegated to its primitive savagery this 
mighty and most productive domain. The 
ijiiginal empire of Walla Walla, we are told, 
was recognized as a garden spot even long 
before some other regions, where the soil was 
equally good, were deemed eminently desirable. 
It is said to produce more money's worth of 
grown products than any other county of the 
slate. Walla Walla derives its wealth from the 
ground. So enriched is this county by nature 
that it is not improbable that her recorded pop- 
ulation of the last census (1890) — 12,224 — 
will be doubled within the next decade. It is 
well watered, being bounded on the north and 
east by the Snake and Columbia rivers, while 
its southern boundary is irrigated by the Walla 
Walla and its tributary streams. * * * * 
Take it all in all. it is a lively, progressive 
region, an example to all good counties in the 
state, prospering and likel_\' to prosper." 



CHAPTER XIII. 



A JOURXEY THROUGH WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



In this chapter we propose to invite the 
reader to accompany us upon a journey 
throughout Walla Walla county. In the prog- 
ress of this journey we shall take time to drop 
in at every town or village in the county, as 
well as view in a general way the country 
tlirough which we ])ass. We shall omit the 
city of Walla Walla imm this chapter, inas- 



much as we intend to make it the subject of a 
special visit. It is fitting that we should visit 
first the place next in size to the capital, and 
tliis is Waitsburg. In order to see Waitsburg 
first of all we must enter the county from the 
northeast, and we will therefore suppose, if 
y(iu ])lease. that we have come from Spokane by 
the O. K. & X. Railroad. 



134 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



WAITSBIKC,. 

Leaving the main line at Boiies Junction, we 
proceed In- tlie \\'aitsl)urg and Dayton l)ranch, 
and after riding about two miles find ourselves 
approaching a beautiful little city occu])ying a 
level tract of land along the junction of the 
Touchet and Coppei creeks. But before pro- 
ceeding to speak of the attractive and beauti- 
ful surroundings of the place and adjoining 
country, let us renieniber that our quest is not 
only descriptive Init historical, and tliat we 
sliall therefore desire to turn our glass back- 
ward for a few moments u])on the period of 
earliest settlement in this part of \\ alia W alia 
c</unt\'. Claims were made substantially as 
early in the present vicinity of Waitsburg as of 
Walla Walla. In 1859 Robert Kennedy set- 
tied at the junction of the Touchet and the 
Coppei. Above him on the creek were Abner 
T. Lloyd, George Pollard, Josei)h Star and 
Samuel Galbreatli. A string of claims were 
laid out up the Co]3pei by Messrs. Patten, Mor- 
gan, J^aine, Doolittle, Bateman and Cox. On 
tlic Touchet below the mouth of the Coppei 
were James Woodruff, Edwai'd Kenton. Jona- 
than Kenny, Martin Plober. Luke 1 Icnsb;iw, 
Andrew Warren and John blister. 

The universal impression throughout the 
country at tliat tiiue was that none but the bot- 
tom l;inds were worth cuhi\ating. and inas- 
much as the area of bottom land i 1 tliat por- 
tion of the county is very small the popula- 
tion remained scanty. .\ faint attempt at a 
town was started on the Copjici about five miles 
from the present site of Waitsburg. In Jan- 
nary, 1863, this became a jwstoffice by the 
jiame of Copjjei. Luke Henshaw being the first 
postmaster. Coppei apparently was in a fair 
way tt) become a town, when in 1865 the start- 



ing of Waitsburg undermined it, and the pros- 
pecti\e city of Coppei died a natural death. 

The founder of Waitsljurg was Sylvester 
Yi. Wait. Mr. Wait was a pioneer of the pio- 
neers in this country, ha\-ing lived for some 
years in southern Oregon and then at Lewis- 
ton. IIa\-ing learne 1 in 1864 that a (|uantity 
of wheat could be purchased for one dollar 
and a half per bushel on the Touchet, he 
formed the project of putting up a grist mill 
and transforming this wheat into flour. This 
would e\idently be good business, as flour was 
worth fourteen dollars per barrel. The farm- 
ers very enthusiastically accepted Mr. Wait's 
lilans. Mr. Bruce and Mr. Willard, who then 
owned most of what became the town site of 
Waitsburg, gax'e ten acres of ground for a mill 
and a residence and a right of way for the mill- 
race. The farmers contracted to sell all their 
grain to the mill at the rate of one dollar and 
a half per Ijushel. With this basis of opera- 
tions Mr. Wait proceeded to get machinery 
from San Francisco and lumber from whatever 
source he might obtain it. mainly at a very high 
price. The mill cost aliout fiiurteen thousand 
dollars, which was a bea\y debt to carry in that 
C(in(lilion of the countrv. lint it jiroxed an ex- 
cellent investment, as Mr. Wait rapidly dis- 
charged the debt and laid the foundation of 
cjuite a fortune. 

William .\. Smith, a teacher by profes- 
sion, came to the new town in the spring of 
i8r)5 and decided to open a school on the 
'I'ouchet. This was the first school ever held in 
that ])ortion <if Walla Walla county, being 
opened on the first Monday in April. 1865. 
School district Xumber 3 was organized in the 
fall of that year. 

In the fall of 1866 a postofifice was estab- 
li^bed. with Mr. Smith as postmaster. L'p to 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



•35 



I'.i.is time the place had been \-ariously known 
as Wait's AliU, Waitsburg and Horsehead 
City, but wlien it Iiecahie a postoffice it was 
necessary to select some definite name. Mr. 
Smith suggested the name of Delta, by which 
the place was known until 1868, when by vote 
of the people the name was changed to Waits- 
burg. 

Up to this time there had been no attempt 
to lay out a town. Mr. W. P. Bruce, the chief 
owner of the location, had seemed disinclined 
to encourage the building of a town on his 
farm. But as it had liecome evident that the 
place was destined to become a business center, 
he made a survey and a plat of the beginning of 
the town, which was recorded on the 23d of 
February, 1869. 

The town grew slowly but steadily during 
the years that followed. The census of 1870 
gave a population of ioq. In that same year 
a notable event occurred in the arri\-al in 
Waitsburg of P. A. and W. G. Preston. They, 
ir. connection with Paine Brothers and Moore, 
bought out Mr. Wait's mill, of which they be- 
came and are still the sole owners. The first 
newspaper of Waitsburg, the Weekly Times, 
was first published in ]\Iarch, 1878. 

The vear 1881 was a notable one in the 



histi 



)f Waitsburg;. For in that vear a 



cit\' gmernment was organized, the railroad 
was constructed, and the greater jjortion of the 
business part of the town was destroyed by 
fire. The first town government was organ- 
ized in February of that year. The first elec- 
tion resulted in the choice of George W. Kel- 
licut, William Fudge, Alfred I'.rouillet, M. J. 
Harkness and E. L. Powell for trustees; W. 
H. George for marshal; J. W. Morgan for 
treasurer; and J. C. Swash for clerk. Accord- 
ing to the census of r88o, \\'aitsburg had a 
population of 248. It will give the traveler 



of the present time some impression of the 
growth of the town to be informed that it 
then contained two hotels, four saloons, four 
general merchandise stores, one furniture 
store, two drug stores, one hardware store, 
one variety store, one brewery, one harness 
and saddlery shoji, two li\-ery stables, two 
blacksmith shops, one jewelry store, one meat 
market, one flour mill, one planing mill, one 
castor mill, one corn meal mill, besides a Ala- 
sonic hall, postoflice, telegraph ofifice, express 
office, railway station, school house and two 
churches. 

The first pioneer church of \\"aitsburg was 
of the Methodist denomination. This was 
established in 1859 by Rev. George M. Berry. 
Like most pioneer churches it held its meet- 
ings in school houses for some time, l)ut an 
excellent church edifice was built in 1871. A 
Presbyterian church was established Ijy Rev. 
T. M. Boyd in 1877. The Christian church 
established itself in Si)ring Valley, four miles 
from Waitsburg, in 1876. The first pastor 
was Rev. Neil Cheatham, who has since be- 
come quite noted in connection with Populist 
politics. In 1880 a Christian church was es- • 
tablished in Waitsburg itself. Still later a 
United Presbyterian cluu'ch was founded, so 
that there are now four churches. 

Waitsburg, like most of our pioneer towns, 
has been well ecpiijiped with fraternal organi- 
zations. The pioneer fraternities were Waits- 
burg Lodge, No. 16, .-\. F. & A. M., organ- 
ized March 23, 1870; Touchet Lodge, No. 5, 
I. O. O. F., organized September 12, 1871; 
Pioneer Lodge, No. 16, I. O. G. T., organized 
July 20, 1867; and Occidental Lodge, No. 46, 
.V. O. U. W. 

The pioneer newspaper of Waitsburg was 
the Times, established in 1878. The xevy im- 
portant educational institution, Waitsburg 



136 



HISTORY OF \\ALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Academy, was established in 1886, though the 
name was first employed in 1869. Of many 
of these features of Waitsburg thus briefly 
referretl to we speak at length elsewhere. 

Such is a general view of the pioneer life 
of Waitsburg. Having it in mind we are 
prepared to compare the present city with the 
past. We find as we stroll through the pleas- 
ant town that it has become an exceptionally 
well-built and well-equipped place of (accord- 
ing ti) L'liited States census of 1900) 1,059 
inhabitaiUs. We discover a $16,000 public 
school building of brick, in which seven teach- 
ers are employed, and there is an enrollment 
of 345 students. There is a high school de- 
partment in connection with the common 
school work. The school also possesses a 
library of over two hundred volumes and an 
excellent equipment of physical apparatus. 
\\e visit Waitsburg Academy and tnul it 
equipped with an elegant new building, erect- 
ed in 1899 at a cost of $20,000. The acad- 
emy is provided w^ith .an efficient and devoted 
faculty. We discover also four commodious 
and well-furnished churches, and these organi- 
zations are usually inlluential in Waitsburg 
and vicinity. 

We discover the fraternal orders to have 
developed at equal pace with the rest of the 
town, the Masons and Odd Fellows each own- 
ing a fine twt)-story brick building. 

We see also an excellent system of water 
works owned by the town, which derives its 
supply of water from the Coppei creek, and 
which, being a gravity system, furnishes the 
town perfect protection against fire and a 
bountiful supply for domestic use. 

Telephones and electric lights are among 

the more recent acquisitions of Waitsburg. 

Waitsburg, for its population, is a very 

heavy railroad shipper. During a period of 



six mc mills in 1895 there were shipped from 
the town 10,168 tons of freight, and there 
were shipped in 637 tons. This shows a far 
mure remarkable disparity between exports 
and imports e\en than in the ca^e of Walla 
Walla itself. 

We find in Waitsburg the following list 
of stores and other business establishments : 
Three general merchandise stores, two gro- 
cery stores, two hardware stores, one furni- 
ture store, two jewelry stores, two drug stores, 
two saloons, two newspapers, one bank, a 
planing mill, two lumber yards, one bakery, 
two livery stables, three blacksmith shops, and 
two hotels. 

The city goxernment of Waitsburg con- 
sists of a mayor and five councilmen, who are 
elected annually on the first Monday in April. 
The present incumbents of these positions are 
as follows: Mayor. J. H. M(irn>w; council- 
men, J. L. Harper, B. M. Kent, J. B. Caldwell, 
W. J. Honeycutt, C. M. Taylor; attorney and 
city clerk, R. H. Ormsbee : treasurer, L. E. 
Johnson. 

One especiallv attractive feature of Waits- 
burg is the i)rofusion of flowers and trees 
throughout the town. Especially to one hav- 
ing come across the dry and treeless plains to 
the north, the freshness and luxuriance of the 
town on the Coppei presents a striking and at- 
tractive contrast. 

\\'e may leave Waitsburg by either one 
of two railroads, the Oregon & Columbia 
River Railroad by way of Dixie or the O. R. 
& X. R. R. by way of Prescott. We will, 
however, take our journey by way of Dixie. 
This route follows Coppei creek for several 
miles south and then climbs a high ridge 
which lies between that and Dry creek. This 
region contains some of the most magnificent 
farms in the state of Washington. Although 




WAITSBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL. 




WAITSBURG ACADEMY. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



137 



somewhat high and rolling and at first sight 
inconvenient to farm, the soil is of the most 
fertile quality, and the rainfall is hea\ier than 
in any other part of the connty. Among the 
notalile farms in this section may be men- 
tioned those of Messrs. Cornwell, Phillips, 
Minnick and Connick. The Royce farm, 
Avhich in 1900 had an iuidesira1)le notoriety 
by reason of the murder of the venerable 
owner by his grandson, is also in this general 
neighborhood. 

From Summit station a magnificent view 
can l)e obtained looking down the winding 
valley of the Coppei to the north, and the 
hazy plains of the Walla W'alla to the west. 
At our feet we see a pleasant little village 
situated in the narrow and fertile valley of 
Dry creek. 

DIXIE. 

The first settler in Dixie was Herman C. 
Act(ir, who located a homestead at this .point. 
The name was derived from the following 
circumstance: Three brothers of the name of 
Kershaw had become noted as musicians in 
the emigrant train with which they crossed 
the plains. A great favorite among the peo- 
ple of the train was the song of "Dixie." 
Almost every night the Kershaw hoys ren- 
dered this song, to the delight of the immi- 
grants. As a consequence the boys became 
known as the Dixie boys. Having subse- 
quently settled in the vicinity of where Dixie 
now is, the crossing of the creek first became 
known as Dixie crossing, then a school-house 
was built and styled as Di.xie school-house, 
then a cemetery was laid out which was des- 
ignated as the Dixie cemetery, then a post- 
office was established which was called the 
Dixie postoffice, and finally Dr. Baker's rail- 
road established Dixie station, and thus such 
has become its accepted name. 



Dixie became a genuine American frontier 
\illage, true to the ideal of an early establish- 
ment of scIkxjI, churches, postoffice and other 
elements of an .American community. Among 
the pioneer preachers were Messrs. Granville 
Gholson, W. H. Robbins, Bailey, Hamilton 
and Hastings. There are at the present time 
three churches. Christian, Methodist and Bap- 
tist. The pioneer school-teacher w^as John 
Ross. Mr. Storey, now one of the substan- 
tial farmers of Dixie, was one of the stand- 
bys in the Di.xie school-room. At the time of 
this publication the corps of teachers consists 
(if J. E. Myers, Elmer Chase and Mrs. F. B. 
Paris. That Dixie also has an excellent spirit 
of fraternalism is shown by the fact that they 
have a number of lodges. The Odd Fellows' 
lodge is the strongest, having fifty-seven mem- 
bers. There are two well-equipped stores in 
Dixie, one conducted Ijy C. L. Cochran and 
J. F. Jackson, and the other by M. E. Demaris 
& Company. The population of the place is 
about 250. 

Leaving Dixie, we find immediately below 
it in the valley one of the largest fruit ranches 
in the county. It contains about sixty acres 
of trees, the great majority of which are 
prunes and apples. Mr. Clancy, one of the 
pioneer orchardists of the county, is the owner 
of this fine orchard. Unlike the large orchards 
in the near vicinity of Walla Walla, the 
Clancy orchard uses no water for irrigation. 
It is planted on a north hill slope of the rich- 
est, deepest soil, and thus far its development 
seems to justify the opinion held by many that 
the finest fruits of the valle}' will be found in 
the foot-hills, where there is a sufficient amount 
of rainfall to dispense with irrigation. 

Below the Clancy place on Dry creek there 
extends a series of the finest farms of the 
county, among which may be named the Corn- 



138 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



well, the (iillian. the .Mdricli. the Yeeiul. and 
the Xelson places. As stated in another chap- 
ter, the place of Milton Aldrich has the distinc- 
tion of i)roducing the largest known crop of 
any place in Washington. One of the finest 
farms in the vicinity of Dixie is that of Hollon 
Parker, south of the town. 

Between the line of railroad which we are 
following westward and the flanks of the Blue 
mountains, lies a magnificent body of farm- 
ing land, in a belt of about seven miles wide 
by ten long, lying along Mill creek and Rus- 
sell creek. This is the oldest, wealthiest and 
most highly cultivated of the fanning lands 
of the county or indeed of the state. In this 
belt may be fnund the places of the following 
well known farmers : Messrs. Thomas, P. 
Lyons, Kennedy. Kigler, Gilkerson, Patterson, 
Fields. Harbert. Rifile, Tash, Evans, Farrel, 
Yenney, Barnett, Maxson, McGuire, Russell, 
Maier, Copeland, Shelton. Reser, Toner, Fer- 
guson, Delaney, and a number of others. It is 
safe to say that few bodies of grain land have 
yielded as much money to their owners as this 
extraordinary body of about se\-entv or eighty 
miles sf|uare. 

Leaving this fair spot, in which days might 
be pleasantly and profitably spent, we proceed 
to Walla Walla city: but leaving this for the 
present, we retain our seats in the cars and 
pass on bound for the great wheat country of 
Eureka flat. This is a very large body of 
farming land coming into ])rofitable cultiva- 
tion between Walla Walla and Eureka flat. 
Though at first sight imt so attractive in ap- 
pearance as the region east and south of Walla 
Walla, it has surpassed all expectation within 
the past few years by the wheat yield of its fat 
acres. 



EUREK.\ JUXCTIO.V. 

We reach Eureka Junction, thirty miles 
from \\'alla Walla, and here we pause for more 
careful observation of this most extensive 
grain region of the county. Eureka flat con- 
sists of a body of nearly level farming land, 
from two to five miles in width and about 
twenty-five miles in length. There are no 
towns in this region, thiiugh there are a nuniljer 
of stations, which are the home nf consider- 
able communities, and from which immense 
quantities of grain are shipped. The most im- 
portant stations are Eureka Junction, Clyde, 
and Pleasant \'iew. Even a cursory glance at 
Eureka flat will show the traveller that its 
history has been that of a canyon filled up with 
soil blown or washed from the surrounding vol- 
canic hills. At some points soil has been 
found to extend unchanged to a depth of 
two hundred feet. It is of the most fer- 
tile description, but on account of the dry- 
ness of the climate and the frequent winds, 
together with the excessive dust, it bears 
a poor comparison as a home land to the ver- 
dant and well watered tract in the southern 
part of the county. Nevertheless the most ex- 
tensive wheat ranches in the state are found in 
Eureka flat. Here is found the ten-tin )usand- 
acre ranch of W. H. Bal:cock, the "wheat 
king" of Walla Walla county. Here also may 
be seen a number of other ranches whose sepa- 
rate areas run into the thousands of acres, 
among which may l)e mentioned, the Puffer, 
the Blanchard, the Struthers, the .\tkins, the 
Upton, the Fall, the Painter, and many other 
ranches. Lack of water has been a serious 
impediment in times past in carrying on farm- 
ing operations in this region. Water was for- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



I39" 



nierly hauled in wagon tanks from the Touchet 
creek, an expensive and troublesome process. 
But latterly it has been discovered that abund- 
ance of water of the best quality can be found 
by boring to a depth of from one hundred and 
fifty to two hundred feet. During the past 
year the area of grain raising has been ex- 
tended from the le\-el lands of the flat to the 
adjoining hills. If the present amount of 
moistiire shall become a permanent climatic 
rule, thousands upon thousands of acres in the 
northern part of the county now used only for 
pasturage will become transformed into wheat 
helds. 

A student of the farming business, or any 
one interested in the development of industry, 
would find an object lesson in the great Bab- 
cock ranch. From fifty to a hundred men are 
employed, and from one hundred to three hun- 
dred horses. The yield of the ranch has been 
as high as a hundred and fifty thousand bushels 
in a year. j\Ir. Babcock has sufficiently got 
the start of the world to be free from the neces- 
sity of selling at once upon harvesting, and it is 
in fact stated that he now has on hand the 
greater portion of two years' crops. 

But we shall find it necessary, without fur- 
ther prolonging our stav upon Eurtka Hat, to 
turn our faces toward the Columl)ia river. 
After leaving Eureka Junction, we find that we 
are entering upon a heavy down grade, which 
rapidly takes us out of the fertile domain of the 
wheat belt into the barren and sandy tract bor- 
dering the river. Hunt's Junction is the only 
station. The road connects at this point with 
a short branch leading to Pasco, where it joins 
the Northern Pacific. A nule below Hunt's 
Junction we reach the oldest and, aside from 
Waiilatpu, the most historic locality in the 
county. 



WALLULA. 

This musically sounding name signifies the 
same, though in a different dialect, as \\'alla 
Walla; that is. "abundance of water." Wallula 
was foundetl l)y the Northwest Fur Company. 
It was one of nine forts estajjlished or acquired 
by the English fur companies at various points 
in their vast domain. An examination of a 
map would show that these forts were 
established with great regard to their stra- 
tegic and commercial importance. The en- 
tire list of forts is as follows: Vancouver, Col- 
ville, Okanogan, Kootenai, Walla Walla, Hall. 
Boise, L^mpqua, and Nisquall}'. 

Fort Walla Walla, which was the original 
of Wallula, was at first named Fort Nez Perce. 
It was established in 1818, by Peter Skeen 
Ogden, who was at that time a member of the 
Northwest Fur Company, but after the union 
of that company with the Hudson's Bay Com- 
pany he became, and for many years continued 
to be, the chief factor of the company in this 
part of their territory. From the first this 
location seems to ha\e been of a warlike and 
violent character. The original fort was estab- 
lished upon the bank of the river, near the house 
formerly occupied by Joseph Merchant, now 
of Walla \\'alla. Some of the remains of the 
buildings existed to within a few years, but 
were subsequently swept away by the great 
flood of 1894. It seems never to have been 
of great consecpience as a trading post, but was 
very important as a stopping place for trains, 
and a point of defense against the Ind an^. 
The original fort consisted of an enclosure of 
pickets enconip;issing alxiut an acre, with a 
platform inside, from which all the approaches 
could be commanded. .At the northeast and 
southwest corners basti(jns were built. Within 



140 



HISTORY OF WALLA ^^'ALLA COUNTY. 



the enclosure tliere were fuur buildings, built. 
of logs and adobe brick, one story high. As 
a means of subsistence for this fort there was 
established about twenty miles up the Walla 
\\'alla river a dairy farm of about twenty 
acres. Th.is was in the region now known, 
from that farm, as Hudson's Bay. 

Soon after the establishment of Fort Walla 
\\'alla, 'Sir. Ogden and his men were attacked 
by the Indians of the Walla Walla tribe, driven 
from the fort and compelled to retreat to the 
island in the Columbia river nearly opposite. 
Here the trappers completely defeated the In- 
dians, and for some time there were no new 
attempts upon the fort. This point, however, 
was subsecpiently the scene of many thrilling 
Indian encounters. Among others, ArchibakI 
oMcKinley had an experience which shows 
something of the nerve necessary for maintain- 
ing a post in Indian times. McKinley hap- 
pened to be entirely alone at one time in the 
store, which was connected with the ammuni- 
tion room. The Indians, finding but one man, 
were upon the point of making a rush upon 
him and looting the store. ^Ir. McKinley, 
perceiving their design, seized a lighted candle 
and held it directly over an open keg of pow- 
der, assuring the Indians that if they did not 
pause he would drop it in and blow both them 
and himself to the fnur winds. The Indians 
knew enough about powder to understantl what 
woukl happen. They cpiailed before the de- 
termined eye of the fur trader and rapidly slunk 
from tlie room. 

Under the joint occupation treaty of 1818 
between England and the United States, many 
Americans as well as Englishmen had occa- 
sion to visit Fort Walla Walla. Among these 
•were Captain Bonneville and Nathaniel J. 
Wyeth. It was in 1834 that Bonneville, after 
a midwinter journey of excessive hardships. 



rode into Fort Walla Walla. Here he was 
kindly received by Mr. P. C. Pambrun. who 
at that time was in charge of the post. As il- 
lustrative of the Hudson's Bay Comi)any's 
methods, it may l)e said that, although the 
agent received Bonnexille with the utmost 
courtesy, he flatly refused to sell him provis- 
ions by which he might equip himself for a 
further journey. All the agents of the com- 
pany had been instructed to do nothing which 
would facilitate the entrance of ri\al traders. 
Later in that same year of 1834 came the ad- 
vance guard of American missionaries, in the 
persons of the }iIethodist missionaries, Jason 
Lee. Daniel Lee. Cyrus Shepherd and P. L. 
Edwards. In the next year a guest at Fort 
Walla Walla was Dr. Samuel Parker, and in 
1S36 there \vere received also at the Fort Dr. 
W hitman and ]\Ir. Spalding" with their wives. 
In general it may Ije said that the .\mericans 
were treated I)y the authorities at Fort W'alla 
W alia with great courtesy and consideration. 
Vet it was contrary to the policy of the com- 
pany that Americans, either missionaries or 
traders, should make permanent establishments, 
lest in so doing American settlement should fol- 
low, and thus interfere with the business opera- 
tions of the company. Of the part played dur- 
ing the year of the AVhitman massacre by Will- 
iam McBean. then in charge of Fort W'alla 
W'alla. we ha\e already spoken in the chapter 
on the Whitman massacre. 

The treaty between England and the United 
States by which Oregon became the territory of 
the latter, was ratified June 15, 184^1. The- 
Hudson's Bay Company, however, was allowed 
to retain possession of its forts until such time 
as they could make a proper disposition of their 
property and conchule their business. In con- 
sequence of this Fort Walla Walla remained 
in possession of the Hudson's Bay Company 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



141 



until some time after the Whitman massacre. 
It was abandoned about the year 1853. 

After the abandonment of Fort Walla 
Walla by the fur company it remained prac- 



F. Cummings. There are a number of most 
excellent, intelligent people in \\'a]lu]a. 

The principal event in Wallula in recent 
years has been the building; of the cut-off line of 



tically a desert until the beginning of settle- the O. R. & X. R. R.,up the Snake river to 
ment of the country in 1860-61. It then be- Riparia, and it is o\er this line that the main 
gan to be known as Wallula and became the business of the railroad from Spokane to Port- 



landing place of the Columbia river steamers. 



laml 



now passes, leaving \\'alla \\'alla out in 



The Oregon Steam Navigation Company's the cold. 

steamboats ran regularly to Wallula in 1861, Although the country around Wallula has 

and in the spring of 1862 lines of stages the appearance of a barren desert, it is, when 

began to run from that place to Walla Walla, irrigated, of a fertile character and susceptible 

During the same year a town site covering of high cultivation. Perhaps the earliest and 

thirty-eight blocks was laid out by W. W. finest peaches raised in the entire state come 

Johnson. Many believed at that time that from the ranch of ]Mr. Thrasher, at the mouth 

\\'allula would be a great city, but it never be- of the Walla Walla ri\er. If any one desires 

came more than a transfer point. With its to see what this desert can do in the way of 

burning heat and drifting sand, Wallula was productiun, let him visit the orchard of B. S. 

not the most attractive place in the world, and Simmons, about twenty miles above Wallula, 

at times during its early history its inhabi- on the south bank of the Snake river. From this 

tants had the reputation of being about as hard place were taken grapes which won the first 

as the natural features of the locality. A de- award at the Chicago Exposition. 

scription by Bill Nye of his experiences in We will not follow the Hunt line from 

Wallula, and especially his attempt to sleep in Hunt's Junction westward to its terminus at 

the hotel provided for the delectation of Pendleton, inasmuch as the greater part of 

strangers, gave Wallula a wide though perhaps this distance is within L'matilla county, Ore- 

not enviable notoriety throughout the United gon. We will therefore transfer ourselves 

States. at Wallula to the cars of the Oregon Railway 

In 1872 the Walla Walla & Columbia & Na\igation Compau)-. and turn our faces 

I\i\er Railroad was begun and in 1875 great again toward Walla Walla, 

cjuantities of freight began to pass by this road There is but one town to speak of between 



from Walla Walla to Wallula, to be shipped 
thence down the Columbia. The junction of 
the Northern Pacific and the Oregon Railway 
& Navigation line in 1882 was the next great 
event in the history of Wallula. It has, how- 



Wallula and Walla Walla, and this is 



TOUCHET. 



This i)lace occupies a very fertile section of 



ever, never developed into anytliing more than land at the junction of the Touchet and Walla 

a transfer and railway station, and has at the \\'alla rivers. Its development has been en- 

jjresent time a population of probably not more tirely the result of the irrigation system estab- 

than one hundred and fifty people. The chief lished upon the Touchet during the past four 

business men are S. Ashe, A. E. Reed, and C. or fi\e years. The soil is of fine quality and 



142 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUXTY. 



needs only water t(j make it liiglily profluctive. 
Fruits and vegetables mature at least two weeks 
earlier than at Walla Walla and this gives 
the region a very imjjcjrtant advantage. There 
is a ijopulation of about two hundred people, 
ef|uipi)cd with school house, churchy store and 
shops. Among the industrious and energetic 
men who have made Touchet what it is may be 
mentioned Mr. .\. Zaring. John Zaring, Wood- 
son Cummings, James Cummings, Will Cum- 
mings, and Messrs. Gardener, Burnap and Cun- 
ningham. 

The portion of Walla Walla county from 
Touchet to Walla Walla and extending south- 
ward from the line of railroad up the Walla 
Walla river to the town of Milton in Oregon, 
is entirely difterent fruni anything we have 
seen in our journey through the county 
hitherto. A level valley of from half a mile 
t(i two miles in width, covered more or less 
with timber and lu.xuriant grass, llmugli with 
occasional spots of strong alkali, and with a 
great abundance of running water — it is pecu- 
liarly adapted to orchard, garden, and haying 
purposes. 

About four miles above Touchet we pass 
the famous Louden dairy ranch. It is one of 
the finest and most extensive ranches of this 
kind in the state. Two miles beyond Mr. 
Louden's we pass Frenchtown, marked by a 
large Catholic church and a number of closely 
connected ranches. These were established by 
Hudson's Bay employes, who, upon breaking 
up of that company, took up places at various 
points throughout the valley. Frenchtown is 
noted from a historical standpoint as being the 
site <if the great Indian battle of 1856, else- 
where described at length. Two miles east 
of Frenchtown, we ])ass a granite monument 
crowning a steep hill, and this we may recog- 
nize to be the Whitman monument. If we have 



time to leave the railroad and climb the monu- 
ment hill, we shall find ourselves looking down 
upon a historic spot. Xot only history, but 
present beauty surrounds us. for a fairer scene 
rarely meets the eye of the traveler. To the 
west the sinuous course of the Walla Walla is 
lost among the rolling uplands and the barren 
looking steppes of the Umatilla highlands. To 
the south the luxuriant valley stretches its 
vivid green across the golden slopes and azure 
heights of the Blue mountains. Toward the 
east the spires and roofs of Walla Walla are 
framed against a background of farm land, 
checkered with alternate gold and Ijlack, which 
far beyond the line of ranches may be seen, at 
most seasons of the year, to break against the 
eternal frost of the highest peaks .if the Blue 
mountains. 

If we should still further extend our side 
journey to the extent of taking a buggy dri\e 
from Wliiinian Mission up the valley of th.e 
Walla Walla, we should find ourselves pass- 
ing through a line of beautiful gardens and 
orchards, which extend almost without a break 
to Milton. Here reside many well ki.'own old- 
timers, among whom we might name .Messrs. 
Willis Keser. Cu.skar, Xewcomb. Harrer, Ben- 
son, while just over the Oregon line is found 
the jewel of all the places, that belonging to 
.Mr. O. R. Bailou, one of the foremost fruir 
men and promoters of all ])ub!ic enterprises to 
be iound in this country. The country be- 
tween Whitman station and Walla Walla, and 
for a number i^f miles south of the road joining 
the two, is rapidly becoming the garden of 
Walla Walla. In this region, which is about 
six miles in width by ten in length, may be 
found most of the large orchards, gardens, and 
nurseries of the county. Here are found, in 
addition to the places already mentioned, the 
great fruit ranch of Dr. X. G. Blalock. There 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



M3 



are also found here the beautiful places of Mr. 
Ritz and Mr. Offner. Besides these may be 
mentioned the smaller though not less fertile 
farms belonging to Messrs. J. M. Goe. T. Ly- 
ons, M. McCarthy, Dunham, Villa Whitney, 
Campbell, and many others worthy of more 
particular mention did space permit. A number 
of productive places around College Place 
should be named. About five miles west of 
Walla Walla the Oregon Railway & Naviga- 
tion Company started an experiment station, 
which is now the property of the United States 
government. Hundreds of different plants, es- 
pecially of the grasses, have been tested on this 
place, and found to be adapted to various 
special regions of this country. 

Again passing through Walla Walla with- 
out stay, we find ourselves journeying swiftly 
over the Dry creek plains and hills toward the 
northern portion of the county. The country 
immediately north of Walla Walla consists of 
a magnificent bench of the finest farming land, 
a considerable portion of which is owned by 
the Baker estate, Thomas Moore. Chris Ennis, 
and George Dacres. 

Eight miles north of Walla Walla we reach 
\'alley Grove on Dry creek. Up and down this 
valley stretches a beautiful scene of verdure, 
in contrast with the bare hills on either siJ'e. 
We say bare hills, but it must be observed that 
these bare hills are almost an unbroken wheat 
field. North and east of Valley Grove are found 
some of the most substantial farms in the coun- 
ty. The Berryman, Hadley and Thomas 
ranches lie to the north, the Nelson place to the 
south, the Drumheller, Burr, Robinson, Bowers, 
Loney. Paul and Paine ranches to the west. 
Several miles to the northeast, if we should 
journey over the rolling hills, we should reach 
the Hungate and Rondema ranches. This re- 
gion, like most of the northern and western 



portions of Walla Walla county, v.as for many 
years supposed not to be fit for cultivation. The 
developments of the past few years have been 
a matter of great surprise. During the harvest 
of 1900, the region betwixt Valley Grove and 
Prescott far suqjassed the supposed more fer- 
tile foot-hill belt south and east of Walla Walla. 
Eighteen miles from Walla Walla we reach 
the only remaining town of the county. This 
is 

PRESCOTT. 

Prescott was founded in the year 1882, at 
the time of the extension of the O. R. & N. 
Railroad from Walla Walla northward. It 
v.as founded on land owned partly by Charles 
Buck, and partly by Mr. Eleanor. The town 
site was first occupied by Rev. H. H. Spalding 
ill 1859. There he lived until 1862, when he 
went as Indian agent to Lapwai. The most 
important event in the history of Prescott was 
the erection in the year 1883, by H. P. Isaacs, 
of the great North Pacific Flouring Mills, at 
that time the most extensive flouring mill in 
the state. 

Prescott has become a well built and attrac- 
tive village of three hundred inhabitants. There 
are four stores in the place, of which the pro- 
prietors are Mr. Ibberson, Messrs. Watkins and 
Holmes. Mr. Johnson, and Mr. McSherry. 
These stores do an amount of business entirely 
di.sproportionate to the size of the town, for 
the surroimding country is prrfsperous and 
fairly well settled, and its trade is very heavy. 

There are two churches in Prescott, a 
Methodist and a Presbyterian. The schools of 
Prescott have de.servedly been a source of pride 
to the people of the place. The school is under 
the charge of Prof. John Woods, and his assist- 
ants at the time of this publicaion are Mr. 
Rogers and Miss Malone. 

Prescott contains also a hotel, livery stable 



144 



IIJSTURV OF WALLA WALLA COUXTY, 



anil the varidus simps necessary to ihc ungning 
of such a tmvn. "'rhe village hlacksniith" is 
also notable as one nl' the leading; politicians. 
This is Mr. janies llaviland. Another notable 
character is Mr. John Geyer. elected in 1900 as 
a member of the Washington legislature. 
Still another of the most famous inhabitants 
of the vicinity of Prescott, as well as one of the 
most honored of the old-timers, is Mr. Petty- 
john, who lives on a farm six miles west of the 
town. Lie is distinguished as being nut only 
one of the genuine, whole-souled ])ioncers of 
the epoch, but as being the father of more 
human avoirdupois tban any other man in 
AX'alla W'alla county. The average weight of 
the male members of the retlyjohn family is 
said to be about two hundred and sixty pounds, 
and of the female members about two hundred 
pounds. 

A vast and fertile wheat belt extends on all 
sides of Prescott. Perhaps the most fertile of 
all the tracts in the immediate vicinity is Whet- 
stone Hollow, northeast of the town. 

A very extensi\-e belt of land lying north- 
west of Prescott anil including the somewhat 
broken hill country as far as Eureka tlat, was 
largely, until within two or three years, gov- 
ernment land. The imi)ression up to that time 
was that it was too dry for successful grain 
raising. The generally heavy rains of recent 
seasons turned the attention of settlers to the 
possibilities of this great region. It has now 
become settleil, thousanils of acres have been 
broken up, and thousamls of l)ushels of wheat 
have been produced. I'^uiher to the cast, upon 
the road extending from Prescott to Lyons 
ferry on Snake river, are a number of old es- 
tablished places which have long been noted for 
their large grain production. In the center of 
the great area lies the J^Ialloy ranch. Both 
up and down the Touchet river from Pres- 



cott are manv well known and Drogressive 
places. Among these may be namc(l the fol- 
lowing: Those of Messrs. Brown, llanson, 
Hayes, I'lathers. Bowe, Romines, Sharp, Bar- 
nett. Pettyjohn, I'ttcr and Hart. 

After this examination of Prescott and its 
\icinit_v. we will resume our places in the cars 
and by a journey of a few miles tind ourselves 
at Bolles Junction. I'^rom this point a branch 
road of the Oregon Railway & Navigation 
C'ompan\- extends to W'aitsburg and Dayton. 

Continuing on upon the main line we t'md 
ourselves ascending the Alto hill. This tract 
of country, although quite elevated and some- 
what broken, is of the most fertile soil, and 
prtnluces immense quantities of grain. The 
grade from the summit of this hill down to 
Starbuck has long been a "terror" to railroad 
men. it averages over a hundred feet to the 
mile. Several serious accidents have occurred 
upon this portion of the road. It was largely 
the danger and expense of this hill which led 
the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company 
to build their line from Riparia directly down 
Snake river to W'allula. Having reached Star- 
buck, we tind ourselves within the confines of 
GarlieUl county, and hence our journey 
through Walla Walla county is ended. 

Jf we should examine our journey with a 
maj), we would find that the two railroads cross 
each other at Walla Walla, and between them 
cover pretty completely the different portions 
of the county. We shall see evidence of the 
idea elsewhere expressed that Walla Walla is 
essentially an agricultural county. ^Nlany in- 
teresting features of agricultural work would 
appear to the traveler, should he make his jour- 
ney in the harvest season. Among other com- 
paratively recent harvesting machines, is the 
immense combined harxester and thresher. 
This was formerly used largely in California, 



o 
o 

Z 

w 
o 

> 

< 

w 

H 
W 
W 




HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



145 



but the general impression was that the ruIHng 
hills of Washington would be unfavorable to 
its use. Recently side hill harvesters have been 
devised, which are apparently adaptable to al- 
most any region. It has been found moreover 
that even the common harvesters, like the Holt, 
can be worked advantageously on moderately 
rolling land. The Holt Company are now 
making one especially for side hill work. One 
of these great harvesters presents a strange ap- 
pearance to one unaccustomed to them, with its 
thirty-two horses, its driver elevated upon a 



seat twelve feet above the ground, and its grain 
sacks filled to be thrown off and picked up by 
the wagons which follnw. In favorable places 
the harvesters have cut and threshed as much 
as seventy acres of grain in a day, at considera- 
bly less cost than would result from using a 
sei)arate header and thresher. 

In completing this journey through Walla 
Walla county we can see that although it has 
not had extraordinary rapidity of growth, it 
has advanced steadily to an enviable place 
among the counties of this great state. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



TIIK INDUSTRIES OF WALL.\ W.\LLA COUNTY. 



A favorite point for picnic parties in Walla 
Walla is Pike's Peak. This is the most con- 
spicuous peak in that part of the Blue mount- 
ains which overlooks our valley. From it may 
be seen every acre of land in the Walla Walla 
valley. Let us take our station on that pictur- 
esque summit and from it \iew the fair jiros- 
pect spread out like a map below us. We shall 
see in one glance the tokens of the chief in- 
dustrial resources of Walla Walla county. 

To the north and west, farthest in the dis- 
tance, melting into the haze and dimly edged 
by some of the gigantic ])eaks of the Cascades, 
and if the light be just right, girded with the 
shining band of the Columbia, lies a vast strip 
of rolling prairie. This is what used to be the 
great cattlj range, stock raising being the first 
industry in time of this region. This same 
region is uuw ra])idly becoming the great wheat 
belt, though for a lon.g time thought to be so 

arid as to be unsafe for wheat culture. And in 
10 



wheat raising we have our second great in- 
dustry. 

Then looking again here and there, more' 
nearly in the center of the picture^ and espe- 
cially around the point which with a glass we 
can see to ha\e clusters of tree-embowered. 
houses, and which we therefore know to be 
Walla Walla itself, we may observe dark bands 
of foliage beautifully contrasting with the dul- 
ler hues of the plain, and these we know to be 
the orchards and gardens, the sign of the third 
great industry, horticulture. Then having 
looked across the distant prairie Ijelt of stock 
and wheat, and the middle zone of fruits and 
\egetal)les. our eyes now fall upon the foot- 
hill belt at our feet, rolling hills, cut with deep 
canons, girt with swift mountain streams, of 
the deepest, richest soil anywhere to be found, 
and with much greater rainfall than is found in 
any f)ther i)arts of the country. This foot-hill 
zone was the earliest settled part of Walla Wal- 



146 



HISTORY OF A\'ALLA \\'ALLA COUXTY. 



la county, and it has probably made more men 
rich than has any equal area of farming coun- 
try in this state, and possibly has not been sur- 
passed by any in the entire country. In it are to 
be found all three of the types of industry 
named, besides wliich it is beginning to be a 
region for the development of dairying, poultry, 
and fine stock, having for these purposes great 
natural adaptability, superior, perhaps, to any 
of the others. 

As we survey the rich expanse outstretched 
below our lofty eyrie, we can see the possibili- 
ties of manufacturing industry, still latent, in 
the swift and abundant streains, in the obvious 
plent\- and cl:eapness of all the essentials of 
life. 

In general terms it may be said that thus 
far the main industries which are revealed be- 
fore us are those of stock, agriculture, and 
fruit-raising. Walla Walla is essentially a 
farming country. As we view the "lay of the 
land" and as we learn by examination some- 
thing of the geological history of the country, 
we see that it was fore-ordained to be one of the 
food-supplying regions of the world. Like 
nearly all of the Columbia valley the Walla 
AValla country is of volcanic origin. At some 
time, thousands of years ago indeed, yet recent 
in geological history, probably in the Miocene 
or Pleiocene ages, there were prodigious over- 
flows of lava, with the Cascade and Blue moun- 
tains as the centers of outflow. After the era 
of fire was one of flood, or more probably there 
were successive eras of volcanic outflow and 
mountain elevation, alternating with successive 
floods. Many curious Indian legends indicate 
the traditional condition of this country. 
Among these is the flood legend of the Yaki- 
nias. They say that ages ago, in the times of 
the "Wateetash," before the Indians existed, 
there was a beaver named Wishpoosh that in- 



habited Lake Kichelas or Lake Cleelum at the 
head of the Yakima river. \\'ishpoosh was of 
enormous size, half a mile long, his scales glit- 
tered like gold, and he was so rapacious that 
he devoured animals and plants indiscriminate- 
ly, and even the rocks of the lake shore. Speel- 
yei, the great Coyote god, perceiving the des- 
tructiveness of the beaver, determined to kill 
him in order to save the I'est of creation. So 
he harix)oned him, or some say, caused him to 
swallow a coal of fire, which made him very 
"hot." In his fury Wishpoosh tore his way 
through the banks of the lake, and let the water 
down into what is now the Kittitass valley, 
which was then a great lake. In like manner 
he tore out the banks of that lake, then he tore 
out the gap where Yakima City is now situated, 
and so the waters of all that upper chain of 
lakes became united with the vast lake which 
covered pretty much all that now constitutes 
the W^alla Walla country. But \\'ishpoosh was 
not content to leave that inland sea undisturbed, 
and so the Umatilla highlands below Wallula 
were severed and the waters of this upper re- 
gion went on do\\n to the sea, and so the 
beaver found himself in the ocean, and, accord- 
ing to the old methods, he began to devour 
whales and other denizens of the deep. Speel- 
yei, perceiving that all creation was threatened 
l>y the monster, entered the sea and after a 
dreadful struggle slew him. The huge car- 
cass was cast up on Clatsop beach, and from 
it Speelyei proceeded to form the various In- 
dian tribes. Thus this legend accounts for the 
existence of the Indians and for the obvious 
fact that Walla \\'alla county, like the famous 
McGinty of a few years ago, was once under 
the sea. 

It was, then, a combination of volcano and 
flood that created this wonderful soil where a 
vicld of fiftv or sixtv bushels of wheat to the 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



147 



acre is not unknown. The volcanic dust is as 
fine as fiour and by the action of wind and 
water it has been deposited to depths almost 
uniieard of in other parts of the world. There 
are places in \\"alla Walla county where over 
two hundred feet of soil have been found. 
From this enormous depth of soil it can readily 
])c seen that vegetation in this region has al- 
most inexhaustible nutrition. Moreover it is 
well known that this \-olcanic dust, o\-erlaid 
with vegetable loam, furnishes the ingredients 
for wheat formation in greater fullness than 
does any other known soil. 

Li addition to the peculiar adaptibility of 
this soil to farming, the climate is very nearly 
perfect for the great cereal crops. The rainfall 
is not heavy, ranging from about ten inches 
a year at the northwestern extremity of the 
county to probably forty inches a year in the 
most elevated part of the mountain section, 
while at Walla ^Valla city it is about eighteen 
or twenty. But this rather scanty rainfall is 
distributed with such general good judgment 
and adaptation to the needs of the growing' 
crops that it is abundant. November, Jan- 
uary, and May are usually the months of heav- 
iest rainfall, and these are precisely the ones 
that need it most. 

Many believe the experience of the last few 
years to indicate that the arid part of the coun- 
try is going to surpass the wetter and more 
fertile foothill belt for wheat production. Dur- 
ing the summer of 1900 in particular the wheat 
in the foothills, though magnificent in ajipear- 
ance, "went to straw," to an unusual degree, 
yielding only from twenty to thirty bushels to 
the acre, whereas the "dry belt," though not 
equalling the other in appearance, "went" from 
five to fifteen bushels to the acre better. More- 
over the cost of raising- a bushel of wheat is not 



more than half to two-thirds as great on the 
plains as in the foothills. 

With this glance at the industrial resources 
in general of this favored land, let us present 
a view of the special industries, following them 
somewhat in the order of their develoimient in 
tune. 

First in order comes the 

STOCK BUSINESS. 

The first cattle in the Walla \Yalla valley 
were brought in by Hudson's Bay employees 
in the vicinity of Fort Walla Walla, now Wal- 
lula, and in the region now known as Hudson's 
Bay. Dr. Whitman brought several cows with 
him in 1S36. Messrs. Brooke, Bumford, and 
Noble, who occupied the Whitman mission 
property in 1S51, and thence onward until ex- 
pelled by the Lulian war of 1855, had a large 
number of cattle. After the whites liegan to 
settle in the country in 1859, and especially 
a iter the discovery of the mines in i860 and 
f86i, the stock business received a great im- 
petus and man}' cattle were dri^•en in from the 
W' illamette countr}-. Most of them perished 
in the famous hard winter of '6i-'62, but the 
Inisiness was at once resumed with such energy 
that by the summer of 1863 it was reported 
tliat there were 1,45 5 horses, 438 mules, 1,864 
sheep, 3,957 cattle, and 712 hogs. The States- 
man reported that 15,000 pounds of wool had 
licen shipped out that year. It is said that 
there were 200,000 sheep in the \'allcy in the 
winter of 'G^-66. Sheep were worth at that 
time only a dollar per head. Stock of every 
sort increased rapidly from 1866 to 1875, \vhen 
the country had become so well filled uj) that 
shipping to California and the east began on a 
large scale. 



148 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



There seem no separate statistics available 
for the amount of stock driven out of what is 
now Walla Walla county. We find, however, 
in Gilbert's history a very valuable table pre- 
senting statistics of the amount of cattle driven 
from the "Inland Empire" from 1875 to 1880, 
which shows an aggregate of 259,100 head. 

"Between 1874 and 1880 William Kirkman 
drove 2,000 cattle to California from eastern 
Oregon, and he informs us that in 1873 he pur- 
chased cattle for ten dollars per head that own- 
ers had refused thirty dollars for the year be- 
fore, and ten dollars became the ruling price for 
stock cattle until 1879. Steers would bring 
from sixteen dollars to twenty dollars during 
this time. Prices now range fifty per cent, 
higher; or yearlings nine dollars, two-year-olds 
and cows fourteen dollars, three-year-old steers 
twenty dollars, four-year-old steers and up 
twenty-five dollars. The winter that closed the 
year 1880, witnessed the sad spectacle of these 
poor brutes starving to death by the tens of 
thousands. A heavy snow fell upon the valley 
country, upon the top of which a crust was 
lornicd that prevented the stock from traveling. 
Gathered in little bands, in large ones, or singly, 
they were corraled by illimitable fields of ice, 
where the snow in coming had found them, and 
the great plains for hundreds of miles were 
found dotted in the spring with their bleaching 
bones. This country will generally furnish 
Avinter grazing for stock; but it is not safe to 
rely wholly, upon nature's fickle moods for such 
a result, as the foregoing has thoroughly dem- 
onstrated by a destruction of eighty per cent. 
of the horned cattle in that region. The loss 
in Walla Walla county was a much smaller per 
cent., owing to better preparation by owners 
for feeding. The facts are that, as there is 
usually so little need for feeding stock in the 
winter, manv make no calculation for doing 



so, consequently the hea\-y Icjss when such neces- 
s'ity arises." 

The following paragrajih gives the statis- 
tics of increase in both human and stock ixjpii- 
lation for tlie tlecade of the seventies, for the 
entire territory : 

Population, 75,120. increase 214 per cent.; 
mules and asses, 626, decrease 34 per cent. ; 
milch cows, 27,622, increase 63 per cent. ; sheep, 
292,883, increase 565 per cent. ;, horses. 45,848, 
increase 312 ])er cent.; working oxen, 3.821, 
increase 75 per cent.; other cattle, 103,111, in- 
crease 266 per cent. ; swine, 46,828, increase 
1 68 per cent. 

The following table derived from the as- 
sessor's rolls for the years 1863 to 1879 gives 
a complete view of the stock in Walla \Valla 
C(.unty during that period. The years 1869, 
1872, and 1873, are lacking. 

ISfiS 1804 1865 1866 1867 1868 1870 18T1 1874 1875 

Horses .... 14.i.) 2223 2459 3748 3788 4703 5787 0074 8807 8862 

Mules 438 826 t2.i 1098 1720 1058 1727 lOlS OilO 401 

Cattle 31157 4374 4807 7080 7511 134311 141 14 15730 2JW10 17750 

Sheep , IS04 0!I7 2001 7810 .... 4421 8767 12li39 21208 32986 

Hogs 712 14S0 20:>0 4377 7008 1938 5007 7769 8150 OU20 

In 1875 Columbia county with 2,i6o square 
miles having been set oft', the statistics of Walla 
Walla county shows quite a diminution. 



1878 



Horses . . . 5270 

Mules 239 

Cattle. ..11227 



6403 
198 
109110 12U7 



6.102 
205 



7553 
214 



Sheep... 1313.S 17318 20000 20256 



Hogs. 



.4000 



7387 



4904 



Since 1879 the demand for agricultural 
land has steadily increased until the stock range 
has been so lessened that few range cattle or 
liorses are longer produced. The number of 
stall-fed cattle has increased, and according to 
the assessor's rolls the total in 1900 is 7.407. 
The number of hogs has also decreased, until 
the number is now 3,680. The most marked 
increase is in the munber of horses, which now. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



149 



according- to the assessor's rolls, number 10,- 
616. Sheep number 31,035. 

There is a very great increase in the poultry 
of Walla Walla county, the numlier now con- 
tained within its limits having probably doubled 
within three years, though there are no reliable 
data available. 

There is a very active poultry association in 
the city, and there have been several poultry 
exhibitions in the place, the excellence of which 
was a matter of astonishment to such as had not 
yet investigated our capabilities in that respect. 
Thousands of turkeys were shipped from 
Walla Walla to other parts of the state and to 
British Columbia during Thanksgiving, 1900. 
Walla Walla seemed in fact to be the only re- 
gion with a surplus. There is also the same 
interest felt in Belgain hares as swept over the 
country at large during the last few years. 

The next great industry in urder of develop- 
ment is that of 

AGRICULTURE. 

To one contemplating the many beautiful 
farms of \\'alla Walla county, and observing 
the millions of bushels of grain shipped hence, 
it seems very curious, but it is nevertheless a 
fact, that for years after immigration had be- 
gun to enter it was not supposed that the up- 
lands of this region were capable of producing 
grain. The reason is plain. The first immi- 
grants, coming in the fall when the long dry 
summer had robbed the land of moisture, saw 
a seeming desert of rolling prairie, with only a 
few narrow belts of bottom land which pre- 
sented any appearance of fertility. Those bot- 
tom lands they accordingly belie\-ed to be the 
<inly lands capable of agriculture. These lands 
had been tested at various jxjints by Hudson's 
Bay people, and Dr. Whitman at Waiilatpu had 
already raised considerable quantities of prod- 



uce more than sixty years ago. Dr. \\"hitniau 
made many agricultural improvements within 
a few years after reaching Waiilatpu. T. J. 
Furnham, visiting the mission in 1839. reports 
finding two hundred and fifty acres of land en- 
closed and two hundred acres in good cultiva- 
tion. A small grist-mill was then in operation. 
Ir may be remarked that the mill-stones of the 
old mill are now in the possession of Governor 
Moore of Walla Walla. Li 1841 Joseph Dray- 
ton of the Wilkes exploring expedition visited 
the mission and discovered a very fine garden, 
with vegetables and melons in great variety. 
"The wheat in the field was seven feet high and 
nearly ripe, and the corn nine feet in the tassel." 
By 1 841 the indefatigable Whitman had suc- 
ceeded in leading some of the Indians to culti- 
vate land and tend a few cattle and sheep. The 
Cayuses, however, never took kindly to agri- 
culture and the amount of land subdued by 
Indian labor was small. 

Little in the way of grain raising was done 
anywhere in Walla Walla county after the 
Whitman massacre until the close of the great 
wars of 1855-56. In 1857, after the estab- 
lishment of the present fort, a garden was 
planted by direction of Captain W. R. Kirk- 
ham. This was such a .success as to make it 
plain that the soil and climate were adapted to 
gardening. 

Charles Russell, afterwards well known 
throughout Walla Walla, was at that time con- 
nected with the post and seeing the labor and ex- 
pense of transporting from the Willamette the 
large amounts of grain necessary for the horses, 
lic proposed trying the valley lands with barley 
and oats. Accordingly in 1858 eighty acres of 
land on what is now the Drumheller place were 
sowed to barley. It yielded fifty bushels to the 
acre. During the same season Mr. Russell 
sowed one hundred acres of oats on the land 



ISO 



inSTC^RV OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



^vllicll lie afterwards limk up as the Russell 
plaee. The huliaus were so threatenint;- that 
he left it, ami the ealtle raui;iiif; in the country 
j^raxeil it so closely that there was apparently 
no hope of a crop. But in June, the Lidians 
having withdrawn. Air. Russell went out and 
fenced in the tleld with the result that he se- 
cured a yield of Tifl}- husheis of oats to the acre. 
During that same season one hundretl and fifty 
acres of oats was sowed on Dry creek by a 
man named Walter Davis. He, too, was 
^varned away by the Indians, Init a detail of 
soldiers from the fort went out and cut the 
oats for hay. In i860 Stephen JiLaxon raised 
a fine crop of wheat on Russell creek, farther 
from tiie bottom than any one else then thought 
uortli trying. 

There were few people in tlie country at 
that time, and the few there hatl thought little 
as yet of agriculture. There was no market, 
except at the fort. Jbit the discoveries of the 
Idaho mines in i860 and 1861 suddenly created 
a fine market. Farmers had little excuse for 
not making a '"raise" in that year, though the 
lamentable winter of 1861-62 caused most of 
tiiem more loss in cattle than they could make 
up in agricultural products. 

As a sample of the prevailing prices of that 
time, we may quote figures presented in the 
newspapers of that period as to the market 
prices of the following articles : 

Beans, from 12 to 15 cents per pound ; dried 
apples, from 20 to 24 cents per pound ; sugar, 
from 18 to 26 cents per pound; soap, from 16 
to 20 cents per pound ; butter, from 50 cents 
to $1 per ixDund; eggs, $1 per dozen; fiour, 
$5 to $6 per hun'dred ; whe:it, $1.25 to $1.50 
per bushel. 

In 1864 the very important discovery was 
made that grain could be produced on the hill 
land. Messrs. Stevenson. Evans and others 
experimented about that time in a small way, 



some successfully and some unsuccessfully. 
But in 1867 a considerable field of oats was put 
in b\- John Montague on the "bench," north- 
east of Walla Walla, not far from the Delaney 
place, wliich yielded over fifty bushels to the 
acre. Even this seems to have been little heeded 
at first. As some of the old settlers now e.K- 
press it, they were determined that the upland 
should not produce grain. While the bottom 
land and some of the foothill land was already 
recognized as the very best quality of wheat 
hinds, the majority of the settlers believed that 
the great body of up-lantls north of Mill creek 
was adapted only to a stock range. In the 
meantime, however, there was a steady inficnv 
if immigration, and the wheat acreage was 
r;q)idly increasing. In Xovemher, of 1864, 
the Statesman noted the fact that the wheat 
:ind tlour of this region was superior to 
much of that grown in the Willamette 
valley. In 1866 there were already five fiour- 
ings mills in the valley. These had imjiroved 
n\achinery and turned out a reallv excellent 
quality of fiour. In 1865 seven thousand bar- 
rels of fiour were exported from the Walla 
Walla valley. 

The wheat yieUl of 1866, for t'.ie entire 
'upper country," was estimated at half a million 
bushels, about half from the \\'alla Walla val- 
ley. It is recorded that in that year threshing 
rates were : wheat, eight cents, oats, six cents, 
ar.d barlew ten cents jier bushel. 

Wo find in Ciilbert's history the following 
tia.ta with regard to shipments and prices which 
are of permanent value, and hence we incor- 
porate them at this point. 

.An nuviculturnl suciety was organized in July of this 
year, by an assemblage of citizens at the court house, on 
the 9th of that month, when laws and regulations were 
adopted, and the following officers chosen: H. F. Isaacs, 
president; A. Cox and W. H. Newell, vice-presidents; J. 
D. Cook, treasurer; E. R. Rees, secretary'; and Charles 
Russell. T. G. Lee and A. A. Blanch, executive commit- 
tee. For the fair to be held on the 4th, 5lh and 6th of 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



>5i 



the ensuing October, the last three gentlemen became 
managers, and the following the executive committee: 
H. P. Isaacs, J. D. Cook, J. H. IMewett and \V. H. Ne- 
well. 

In 1867 the grain yield of the Blue mountain region 
exceeded the demand, and prices that had been falling 
for several years, left that crop a drug. It was sought to 
prevent an entire stagnation of agricultural industries, by 
shipping the surplus down the Columbia river to the sea- 
board. Freights on flour at that time were: From Wal- 
lula per ton to Lewiston, 815; to the Dalles, $6; to Port- 
land, S6, and the following amounts were shipped: 

To Portland between May 27 and June i:^ 4,1.56 bar- 
rels; to The Dalles, between April 19 and June '2, i)'H bar- 
rels; to Lewiston, between April 18 and May 14, .577 bar- 
rels; total to June ISby O. S. X. Company, .5,311 barrels. 

The same year Frank & Wertheimer shipped from 
Walla Walla 15,000 bushels of wheat down the Columbia, 
thus starting the great outflow of bread products from the 
interior. 

In 1868 Philip Ritz shipped fifty barrels of flour from 
the Phftnix mills in Walla Walla to New York, with the 
following results: (It was the first of Washington Terri- 
tory products seen in the eastt. 

First cost of flour, S187.o0; sacks for same, 827.00; 
transportation to San Francisco, SIOO.OO; freight thence 
to New York, 8107.80; total cost in gold, 8422.30; profit 
realized on the transaction, 877.46, or 81.55 per barrel. 

Wheat had fallen to 40 cents per bushel in vValla 
Walla, because of the following scale of expenses of ship- 
ping to San Francisco: 

Freight per ton to Wallula, $6.00; thence to 
Portland, 86.00; thence to San Francisco, 87.00; drayage 
$1.50, commission 82.00,83.50; primage and leakage 81.00, 
bagging $4.50, S5.50; total expense to San Francisco, 
$28.00. 

In 1869 there was a short crop, due to the drough and 
want of encouragement for farmers to raise grain. June 
14, a storm occurred of tropical fierceness, during which 
a waterspout burst in the mountains, and sent a flood 
down Cottonwood canyon that washed away houses in the 
valley. In consequence of the short crop, wheat rose to 
80 cents per bushel in Walla Walla, and flour to 85.50 per 
barrel. In November, hay brought $17 per ton, oats and 
barley 2 cents per pound, and butter ■il'/i cents. 

Having traced agricultural development from its start 
and through its years of encouragement, till quantity ex- 
ceeding the home demand, has rendered it a profitless 
industry m 1868 and 1869, let us glance at the causes 
leading to a revival of inducements for tillmg the soil in 
the Walla Walla country. It should be borne in mind 
that the farmers in little valleys and along creeks nearer 
the mines than this locality, were supplying the principal 
mountain demand, and the only hope left was to send prod- 
uce to tide water and thus to the world's market. What 
it cost to do this had been tried with practical failure as a 
result. This shipping to the seaboard was an experi- 
mental enterprise, and there was not sufficient assurance 



of its paying to justify farmers in producing quantities 
for that purpose, consequently not freight enough of this 
kind to warrant the Oregon Steam Navigation Company 
in putting extra steamers or facilities on the river to en- 
courage it. The outlook was therefore gloomy. This was 
a state of things which caused an agitation of the railway 
question, resulting in the construction of what is more 
familiarly known as Baker's railroad, connecting Walla 
Walla with navigable waters. The building of this road 
encouraged the farmers to raise a surplus, it encouraged 
the Oregon Steam Navigation Company to increase the 
facilities for grain shi[)ment, it caused a reduction of 
freight tariffs all along the line, and made it possible for 
a farmer to cultivate the soil at a profit. Something of an 
idea of the results may be gathered from an inspection of 
the following exhibit of increase from year to year, of 
freights shipped on Baker's road to Wallula en route for 
Portland. Between 1870 and 1874, down freights shipped 
yearly at Wallula did not exceed 2,500 tons. In 1874 
Baker's road had been completed to the Touchet, and 
carried freight from that point to Wallula at S1.-50 per 
ton. In 1875, it was completed to Frenchtown and 
charged 82.50. Walla Walla rates avcaged 84.50. 

Freight tonnage from Touchet in 1874 to Wallula ag- 
gregated 4,021 tons; in back freight, 1,126 tons; from 
Frenchtown in 18;5 to Wallula, 9,155 tons; back freight, 
2,192 tons; from Walla Walla in 1876 to Wallula, 15,266; 
back freight, 4,0:^4; from Walla Walla in 1877 to Wallula, 
28,806 tons; back freight, 8,368 tons; from Walla Walla in 
1878 to Wallula, 35,014 tons; back freight, 10,4-54 tons. 

The great development of all fonrs of in- 
dustry in this country resulting from the build- 
ing of railnads in the 'eighties was especially 
marked in the wheat business. Wheat became 
recognized as the staple product of this valley. 
Walla Walla wheat began to seek the markets 
of the world, and every year marked a vast 
increa.se in the output from these rich Blue 
mountain foothills and from the great rolling 
plains adjoining. But this had already oc- 
curred even before the railroad era. The in- 
crease in acreage in the staple crops in "early 
times" is indicated in the following ;-ecords 
fnjm the assessor's books: 



1S63 

Acres of wheat 4782 

Acres of corn 1515 

Acres of oats 4515 

Acres of barley 1486 



1868 


1874 


1879 


9249 


20760 


46.557 


2136 


3640 




5086 


4786 


2995 


985 


3896 


11271 



152 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



There are some interesting facts to be 
gleaned from the foregoing figures. It should 
1)C rememl)ered that l)et\veen 1874 and 1S79 
the erection of Coluni1)ia county had diminished 
Walla AX'alla to less than half its former pro- 
portions. It is safe to add at least a half more 
to the figures of 1879 to get a true view of the 
growth in that period. It will be seen that corn 
■was quite extensively raised in early times. 
Then it decreased to a trilling amount. The 
climate was thought to be too dry and the 
sunnner nights too cool for the best results. 
\\'ithin the last three or four years it has again 
become quite a crop, fields of forty, eighty or a 
hundred acres in various parts of Walla Walla 
and L'matilla counties being of common oc- 
currence. It api>ears, too, that oats were at 
first a much greater crop than barhy, but by 
1879 barley was largely in the lead, ?ind the gap 
has greatly widened since. The reason for 
oats being so largely cultivated at first was that 
it was, and still is. the staple horse food in the 
^^'illamette valley, being peculiarly adapted to 
that climate. E.xperience finally showed that 
liarley was a better crop in this dry climate than 
oats, and moreover the establishment of Inewer- 
ies created a growing demand for barley. 

In 1S83 the Northern Pacific Railroad was 
completed to \Vallula and there joined the O. 
R. ik X., making a continuous line to Portland. 
In 1S88 the Northern Pacific was carried over 
the Cascade mountains to the sound. In 1884 
the Oregon Short Line was completed. This 
enlargement of shipping facilities acted like 
magic on the industries of the valley. It was 
known by that time that almost any land in 
Walla Walla county, except the arid tract in riie 
vicinity of Wallula and the timbered portion in 
the extreme eastern part of the county, could be 
made to yield profitable returns. Probably the 
greatest "eye-opener" to the people of Walla 
"Walla, as to the latent resources of their section 



and the greatest influence inaugurating wheat 
raising on a large scale here was the bold under- 
taking of Dr. N. G. Blalock on the tract of land 
known as the "Blalock Ranch," now owned 
mainly I)y George Delaney, six miles south of 
Walla Walla. Dr. Blalock has been a pioneer 
in a number of the most important enterprises 
in Walla Walla, and not the least of his great 
services to this country was his inauguration 
of wheat raising on an extensive scale. Com- 
ing to \\alla Walla in 1872 and soon being 
actively engaged in medical practice, he was 
keenly alive to the industrial possibilities of the 
country around him. It was not at that time 
generally believed that wheat raising would 
amount to much at any great distance from the 
\\ater courses. Dr. Blalock bargained for two 
thousand, two hundred acres of land, at a price 
of ten bushels of wheat per acre. After hav- 
ing gotten it into cultivation he received a )^ield 
of thirty-one bushels to the acre, a sufficient 
demonstration of the producing qualities of 
this land. In 1881 Dr. Blalock"s ranch yielded 
an average of thirty-five and one-fourth bush- 
els per acre on the entire tract of two thousand, 
two hundred acres. One body of one thousand 
acres yielded fifty-one thousand bushels, prob- 
ably the largest wheat crop ever produced on 
an equal area in the United States. But a 
more remarkable yield, though on a smaller 
body of land, was secured by ^lilton Aklrich, 
or. his Dry creek ranch. The yield on four 
hundred acres was an average of sixty-six bush- 
elf per acre. More remarkable yet, there was 
a volunteer crop the next year on the same land 
of forty bushels per acre. One hundred and 
six bushels of wheat from one sowing! This 
probably "holds the championship" for wheat 
yield. Thomas Gilkerson has raised one hun- 
dred and ten bushels of barley per acre. Ex- 
amples might be multiplied of extraordinary 
vields both on small selected tracts and through 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



153 



the country at large. It may I)e said that from 
twenty to forty busliels is the ordinary yield 
of wheat in Walla Walla cotinty. 

The "Great Depression"' of 1893 and on- 
ward tem]jorarily paralyzed agriculture in 
Walla Walla as elsewhere, but this section was 
in better condition to stand a "squeeze" than 
almost any other, and it recovered sooner. 
Nevertheless many of the largest farmers in 
the country, as Messrs. Babcock.Reser.Thomas, 
Delaney, Upton, and many others, were severe- 
ly pressed by that succession of lean years. In 
1897. as all inhabitants of this region will 
easily recall, the country began to emerge from 
the dark cloud. The two great crops of '97 
and '98, and the prevailing good prices, relieved 
the pressure on the farming community. Al- 
though prices in '99 and 1900 dropped seriously, 
the yields of those two years were good, and the 
great majority of farmers are now in a posi- 
tion to hold their crops for better prices. 

Evidences are multiplied on all sides tliat 
farming in the Walla \\'alla valley is a paying 
proposition. The beautiful city stands as a 
monument to the wealth that has been dug out 
of the ground by means of wheat. The many 
elegant farm houses, fine horses and buggies, 
the organs and pianos in the homes, the heavy 
annual purchases of groceries, clothing, and 
books and papers, as well as outlays for edu- 
cation and travel, — all tlie.se expenrlitures by 
the farmers of Walla Walla valley are practic- 
ally ])aid for in wheat mone_\'. The millions 
of dollars' worth of assessable projjerty in our 
city and county are simply the manifestation of 
so much natural wealth, sucked out of the' fer- 
tile soil of these hills ami vales by the milli<jns 
of grain stalks which have grown upon them 
during the last twenty-five years. 

In connection with the wheat industry, it 
will be found of interest to see the estimate 
made by an experienced farmer of the cost of 



raising wheat. Mr. Joseph Ilarbert, one of 
the most successful farmers of Walla Walla 
county, made for the special number of the 
Walla Walla Union some years ago, the fol- 
lowing estimate of the cost of a crop of four 
hundred acres, which yielded ten thousand 
bushels of blue-stem wheat. At fifty cents per 
bushel for the crop, this will lie seen to rep- 
resent a profit of al)out two thousand, three 
hundred dollars from land worth twelve thou- 
sand dollars or nearly twenty per cent., from 
which, however, should come wages of man- 
agement. 

The land was summer fallowed in 1894 
and valued at thirty dollars per acre. The 
estimate is in a locality where water and ma- 
terial to work with are reasonably convenient. 
The land is not very hilly and comparatively 
easy to work. The report is as follows : 



ITEMIZED EX- 
PENSES. 


COST. 


MOS. 
IN. PD. 


INST. 


TOTAL. 


Planting, 90c per 


$ 360 00 

44 00 

360 00 

44 00 

250 00 
9 00 

7 50 

8 00 
60 00 
44 00 

400 00 
215 60 
10 00 
450 00 
110 00 
120 00 


20 

18 
16 


$ 60 00 

7 33 

54 00 

5 87 


S 420 00 


Harrowing, lie per 
acre 


51 33 


Plowing, 2nd time, 
June, 1894 

Harrowing before 
sowing, lie 

500 bushels seed 
wheat, highest 
market price. . . . 

Cleaning seed 


414 00 
49 87 

250 00 


15 

14 

4 


1 12 
94 
1 00 
7 00 
5 14 

13 33 

7 18 

33 

15 00 
3 66 


10 12 


125 lbs. vitriol at 
He 


8 44 


Using vitriol on 
wheat 


9 00 


Sowing Oct., 1894, 
15c per acre 

Harrowing after 
sowing, Ur- 

Cutting, 81.00 per 
acre 


67 00 

49 14 

413 33 


4,400 sacks, S49.00 

per M 

Thirty pounds of 

twine, 33>:jC 

Threshing 10,000 

bushels, 4,'^e 

Hauling to R. R., 

2 'Ac per sack. . . 
Warehouse charg's 

to Jan, 1,1896.... 


222 78 
10 33 
465 00 
113 66 
120 00 








Total cost 


82,492 10 




$ 181 90 


J 2.674 00 



154 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



We have presentctl in previous pages of 
this cliapter figures sliowing tlie wheat yield 
in j'ears past. The reader will appreciate the 
vast gain in production when he is told that 
the yield of the year 1900 is estimated as 
follows: Wheat, four million bushels; hay. 
five thousand, five hundred tons. 

The next of the great productive industries 
of Walla Walla county is that of 

HORTICULTURE AND FRUIT-R.-MSIXG. 

In fruit culture, as in other respects, Mar- 
cus Whitman was the pioneer of Wal'a Walla. 
Whitman brought with him in 1836 apple 
seeds, which he planted in the following spring. 
Three of those ancient trees are still standing, 
objects of curiosity and veneration to the many 
pilgrims who visit that sacred spot. Smne of 
the citizens of Walla Walla will remember that 
in 1896, a beautiful cane, made from a limb 
of one of those ancient apple trees, was pre- 
sented by the city of Walla Walla to Di-. D. K. 
Pearsons, by whose philanthropy ^\'hitlnan 
College so materially benefited. 

Rev. H. H. Spalding started apple trees 
also in 1837 on the Clearwater river, and at the 
same time, or perhaps the next year, Mr. 
Spalding assisted Red Wolf, a Nez Perce chief, 
to plant apple trees at the mouth of the Aljjowa, 
in what is now Garfield county. These trees 
are still standing in a fine state of preservation. 

The first attempt to start a nursery '.n the 
present limits of Walla ^^'alla county was 
made by Mr. Ransimi Clark, in 1859. In the 
fall of the same year Mr. J. W. Foster brought 
trees from the Willamette valley and planted 
them on his present jilace. The orchard on 
what is now the Ward place, in the city limits. 
was set out in i860 bv A. B. Roberts. In 



1 861 the greatest step in the progress of the 
fruit industry was taken by the coming of 
Philip Ritz from Oregon. He brought with 
him a number of fruit trees, which he sold to 
Messrs. Gilliam, Erwin, Dobson, McKay, 
Drumheller, Moore, and Short, all of whom 
succeeded soon in raising fine orchards. The 
next year Mr. Ritz started a nursery of about 
sixty thousand trees on the place now renowned 
as one of the most beautiful in Walla Walla. 
Mr. Ritz's stock of nursery trees reached one 
m.illion in 1872, and continued at about that 
number so long as he remained in business. 
The gold excitement of the 'sixties created 
a great incentive to fruit and garden culture. 
Apples brought almost incredible prices in 
Oro Fino, Florence, and other mining camps. 
We have heard old-timers tell about big. red- 
cheeked Webfoot apples, each one nicely 
polished and wrapped in tissue paper, being 
sold for a dollar apiece. That was a great 
time for the fruit-raisers and nurserymen of 
the Willamette valley. ]\Iany of them laid 
the foundations of fortunes. It became plain 
to the first settlers of Walla Walla that on ac- 
count of location and evident adaptability to 
raising fruit and "truck," they could hope to 
command that market. Accordingly many 
trees were set out. and though the bonanza 
prices of the early mining times did not long 
continue, the Walla Walla farmers were not 
disapjiointed in controlling the markets. Walla 
Walla became the great outfitting point for the 
mines. Probably no better fruit has ever been 
raised than that in those first orchards. No 
pests as yet afl:'ected the trees. It was found 
th.at apples, pears, cherries, plums and prunes 
were peculiarly adapted to this country. 
Peaches, apricots, nectarines, and grapes were 
found also to do well, but were not so reliable 
as the first named. One of the best of those 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



155 



early orchards was that of W. S. Gihiam, on 
Dry creek. He had about twenty-five acres of 
assorted varieties of trees. 

Those early orchards succeeded excellently 
until that famous "cold day" of 1883, wlien the 
thermometer dropped to twenty-nine degrees 
below zero, by far the lowest temperature ever 
known in Walla Walla. The result was very 
disastrous. Many of the fanners lost all or 
nearly all their trees. Some who had hitherto 
taken great pride in their orchards, concluded 
that the danger of severe cold was so great 
th.at it was not worth while to reset trees. So 
for a number of years following the cold snap 
the fruit industry languished. It may be re- 
marked in passing that never but once since the 
disaster of 1883 has there been any repetition, 
and that was in November, 1896, ^^■hen the 
mercury descended to nine degrees below zero. 
The loss of trees was not then, however, so 
great as before. 

Early in the 'eighties began a new era in 
fruit-raising, cotemporary with the general in- 
dustrial awakening inaugurated liy the com- 
pletion of the transcontinental railways. 
Shrewd men then began to build for the fu- 
ture. Among many men whose energy and in- 
dustry laid the foundation of the fruit industry 
as at present developing, may Ije especially 
named : Dr. N. G. Blalock, O. R. Ballon, W. 
A. Ritz, Charles Whitney, W. S. Offner, H. 
C. Chew, John Thoney, and U. H. Berney. 

Dr. Blalock began the development of his 
magnificent fruit ranch in 18S5. The place 
originally contained an entire section of land. 
A donation of forty acres on the east end was 
n-.ade to the Walla Walla College, and around 
that quite a village has grown up. Of the 
remainder, the western part is still comparative- 
ly undeveloped. The major portion of the place, 
some four hundred acres, now contains about 



sixty thousand trees, of which half are prunes, 
a fourth apples, and the remainder pears, cher- 
ries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. 
Among other great public enterprises under- 
taken by Dr. Blalock in connection with his 
fruit ranch is his contract to receive and dis- 
pose of the sewage from the city of Walla 
Walla. This is worthy of special note, both as 
being an interesting experiment in land enrich- 
ment, also as being historically connected with 
this great step in the progress of the city by the 
inauguration in 1900 of a sanitary and scien- 
tific method of sewerage. 

In connection with Dr. Blalock's under- 
takings it is fitting to mention here hi:, vast 
enterprise on Blalock's Island, in the Columbia. 
There he has sixteen thousand acres which he 
proposes to put into trees. Ten thousand trees 
are already out. The soil and climate are es- 
pecially well adapted to peaches and apricots. 
The season there is so early that trees blossom 
in February, and yet on account of the prox- 
imity of the ri\-er and the constant movement 
of the air, there has never been a destructive 
frost. Though not in Walla Walla county, 
this is essentially a Walla Walla enterprise, 
and hence worthy of mention here. 

Of all the various beautiful, successful, and 
lucrati\-e fruit ranches of Walla Walla county, 
time fails to speak in detail. No enterprises, 
perhaps, in the entire valley are so much ol)- 
jects of pride to residents and of curiosity to 
visitors. Nearlv every one who visits Walla 
Walla is taken on a "little ride" in such a way 
as to ])ass the Ballon, Whitney, Ritz, Blalock, 
and Offner ranches. The position of Mr. O. 
]\. Ballon iu the history of fruit-raising is sec- 
ond to none in our entire county. His ranch 
is one of exceeding beauty, about six miles 
south of the city in a rich section, abounding in 
springs. Mr. Ballon has been intimately con- 



156 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUXTY. 



nected with all tlie fruit fairs of Walla Walla, 
and to Iiis unselfisii devotion much of the suc- 
cess of the fairs has been due. 

The Whitney and Ritz places are near to- 
gether about two miles southwest of town, on 
one of the richest bodies of land out-doors. 
The Whitney nursery was established in 1884, 
now occupies a hundred acres of land, and 
gives employment to twenty or more men. The 
Ritz place is the most beautiful suburban place 
in this county and is of great historical in- 
terest. The name of Philii) Ritz is connected 
with almost every important event in the his- 
tory of this region, farming, fruit-raising, rail- 
reading and general impro\ement. The active 
and useful life of I\lr. Ritz was ended in 1889, 
since which time the place has been in charge 
of William A. Ritz, who has been intimately 
connected with every feature of the fruit busi- 
ness of this county. He has been for two 
3-ears president of the Fruit Fair Association. 

The Offner place, of ninety acres, is lo- 
cated about a mile west of town, and has been 
famous for its enormous productiveness, as well 
as for the beauty and convenience of the build- 
ings and all the improvements. The dis- 
tinguishing feature of Mr. Offner's connection 
with the fruit industry, however, has I>een his 
business as a shipper. 

The Thoney, Chew and Berney places are 
east of town on another rich spot of land. In- 
deed all the spots of land on which these or- 
chards and nurseries are located are so fertile 
that every one seems richer than the others. 
Mr. Thoney and Mr. Berney have for several 
years devoted their main energies to the busi- 
ness of the Walla Walla Produce Company. 
Mr. Chew has for the past two years been 
conducting the Walla Walla nursery, and has 
made large sales of trees in all directions. 

Besides these places which have received 



this special mention there are many others 
w Inch are eijuall}- worthy of notice, though not 
ha\ing yet come so conspicuously into public 
notice. No small amount of fruit is pro- 
duced right in the corporate limits of Walla 
Walla itself. Part of its beautiful shade is 
rich and fragrant with blossoms in spring, and 
weighted with luscious fruits in summer and 
autumn. The growth of the acreage of trees 
can be seen from the fact that in 1880 there 
v>ere estimated to be but about four hundred 
acres of trees, while in 1895 there were 2,810 
acres, of which 1,830 \vere in bearing, pre- 
sumably about 325,000 trees in all. There has 
been no reliable estimate since 1895. Some 
good observers think the acreage to be some- 
thing over three thousand acres. 

We have not given here any detailed ac- 
count of the garden business of W^alla W'alla. 
Suffice it to say that many of the rich spots 
of land in the near vicinity of Walla Walla are 
worked by Chinamen and Italians, both of 
whom seem to have greater ability than Amer- 
icans in that line of work, and that they pro- 
duce a prodigious cjuantity of all the common 
vegetables, both for supplying the to\vn and 
for shipping in all directions. The vegetables, 
like the fruits, of the "garden city" are re- 
nowned for excellence, as well as quantity. 

The following brief summary of statistics 
gives a conception of the present extent of the 
industry of fruit and vegetable-raising: 

The business of the Walla Walla Produce 
Company for 1900, about $150,000; of W. S. 
Offner, $150,000; of other dealers and ship- 
pers, alxiut $150,000; total, $450,000. 

The total number of car-loads shipped from 
Walla Walla in 1900 was alxjut six hundred, 
and of this eighty-five per cent, was fruit. 

There are consumed at home probably the 
ec'uivalent of about two hundred and hftv car- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



157 



loads. Some have estimated the totr.l yield of 
the county at nearly one thousand car-loads. 

The Walla Walla Produce Company 
shipped in 1900 about fifty thousand lioxes of 
apples. The Blalock Company, which handle 
only their own fruit, shipped in 1900 about 
five hundred tons of prunes, two hundred tons 
of apples, and one hundred tons of mixed 
fruits. 

The most notable recent event in the fruit 
industry is the consolidation of the Walla 
W'alla Produce Company and W. S. Offner, 
and their engagement of the large warehouse 
erected in the first part of 1901 on Main 
street, adjoining the Washington & Columbia 
River Railroad depot. The consolidation of 
the two largest shipping houses of the place 
and the establishment of their business in such 
commodious and convenient quarters will mark 
an epoch in the history of this very important 
business. 

This review of the fruit and garden indus- 
try of Walla Walla would be incomplete with- 
out reference to the fruit fairs which liave now 
become an established feature of the autumn's 
enterprises. There have now been six of these 
fairs under various auspices, the first one 
being held at the court house in connection 
with the meeting of the fruit-grov.-ers associa- 
tion, of which Dr. Blalock was then presi- 
dent. 

The next two fairs were held in Armory 
hall. The display was so magnificent and the 
crowds so great that it became evident that 
larger quarters must be provided. Accordingly 
fcir three years the fairs have been held in a 
pavilion on Second street. Every one has more 
than paid for itself, and every one has had a 
d.isplay of a character which has astonished 
visitors. Concerning the fair of 1900, the 
fourth in order under the management of the 



Fruit Fair Association, we find the following 
excellent account in the Inland Empire of Oc- 
tober, 1900: 

"The fourth Annual Fruit Fair of the 
Walla Walla valley was held in the city of 
Walla Walla October i to 7 inclusive, and was 
in every way the most successful and satis-- 
factory exposition ever attempted in south- 
eastern Washington. This was true as tij the 
financial aspect of the fair, as to the attendance 
and as to the quality of fruit on display. 

"Nature was responsible for the latter 
feature of the success of the fair, as she is re- 
sponsible for much that goes- to make up the 
category of the virtues of the Walla Walla 
valley. Give our agriculturists and horticult- 
urists a year with a well regulated rainfall, and 
frost which considerately stays away when not 
wanted, and they will with diligence and care- 
ful culture produce grapes, pears, apples and al- 
most every kind of fruits and vegetables of 
such quality and size as are seen in no other 
part of the Union. 

"In 1899 t'le l^^ir continued six days, but 
this year a full week was given, and the at- 
tendance exceeded that of previous years by 
over three thousand paid admissions. The \-is- 
itors were not restricted to Walla Walla and 
the immediate \'icinity ; fully one thousand came 
from Waitsliurg, Dayton and other neighbor- 
ir.g towns, and five hundred from Pendleton, 
Milton, Athena, and \arious points in our 
sister state. The scope of tlie fruit fair is 
broadening and exhibits are received from an 
ever increasing extent of territory. 

"From a financial point of view, the officers 
of the exposition have every reason to l)e con- 
gratulated. The gross proceeds of the fair 
were something over seven thousand dollars, 
and aliout eleven hundred dollars of this is 
profit, and is deposited as a nestegg for the 



I5S 



HISTORY OF W.VLLA WALLA COL'XTY, 



fair of 1 90 1. This is the first year in the his- 
tory of tlie fairs that any material profit has 
resulted in dollars and cents. Last year eighty 
<lollars was taken in over and above expenses, 
and the year before notiiing. Better manage- 
ment is responsible for this result, and a more 
thorough appreciation of the requirements of 
the fair. 

"T. H. Wagner's military band, of Seattle, 
furnished music for the fair, giving concerts 
every afternoon and evening. 

"Mrs. Jennie Houghton Edmunds was the 
vocal soloist, and Herr Rodenkirchen, who is 
known to fame in the east and west, was their 
cornet soloist. 

"One of the special features of the pro- 
gramme of the fair was an Indian war dance. 
A score of bucks and a half dozen squaws from 
the L'matilla reservation were the performers, 
and their presence recalled to many of the vis- 
itors the days when the prnximity of redskins 
was a consummation devoutly to be dreaded. 

"The woman's department was this year 
under the direction of Mrs. John B. Catron, 
and formed the most interesting and tasteful 
display at the fair. A part was devoted to 
collections of Indian curios and relics, and this 
department was always crowded with visitors. 
Lee Moorehouse, of Pendleton, had on exhibi- 
tion many of his photographs of Indians and 
scenes on the Umatilla reservation, pictures 
which even now are of interest, and which 
fifty years hence, when the development of the 
country has crowded the redskins further to 
the wall, will be of great historical value. 

"More than ever before have the people of 
this valley appreciated the value of fruit fairs 
and industrial expositions. Here the farmers 
and those interested in the various lines of 
agriculture and horticulture have an opportu- 
iiitv to see the results of each others' labors, 



and profit by their experience. They are en- 
couraged by the success of others, and obtain 
suggestions whicli are invaluable in their work. 
They learn in what direction the efforts of 
their neighbors are being exerted, and keep in 
touch with the development of the various ag- 
ricultural piu-suits. 

"The Belgian hare exhibit, prepared by S. 
C. Wingard and E. A. Coull, was a feature 
not before seen at these fairs. This exhibi- 
tion, with its hundreds of dollars worth of 
valuable imix)rted specimens of Belgian hare.? 
and fancy stock, was perhaps the most valu- 
able at the fair, and of the greatest in- 
terest because of its novelty. Belgian hare 
culture is yet in its infancy, and the gentle 
long-eared creature was the center of at- 
traction for those wlio wished to know more 
of these animals which are monopolizing so 
much attention among breeders of pet stock. 

"The railroads doing business in Walla 
Walla took a most active interest in the fair. 
Two pretty and unique booths were erected and 
they proved among the attractive features of 
the event. 

"The Northern Pacific and Washington & 
Columbia River Railways took the cue of the 
Boxers and a pretty fashoda was designed. 
The structure was erected near the band pa- 
vilion and was provided with seats and accom- 
modations for the ladies and children. The 
fashoda was built of native woods and finished 
with moss brought from Tacoma for the pur- 
pose. The work was artistically done. At 
night a number of colored electric lights gave 
a finishing touch to the scene. The design was 
largely the idea of Manager McCabe and Pas- 
senger Agent Calderhead. of the ^\'ashington 
& Columbia River Railway. 

"The booth of the Oregon Railway & Nav- 
igation Company was located near the main 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



159 



entrance and it was neatly planned. A com- 
modious square booth was finished and trimmed 
with grains and fruits taken from the com- 
pany's experimental farm near this city. The 
ceiling was made of a variety of handsomely 
colored wools in the unwoven state, blended 
together with artistic effect. The walls of the 
booth were hung with pictures, and chairs and 
reading offered rest and entertainment to all. 
The booth was in charge of General Agent 
Burns and C. F. Van De Water." 

The officers of the association for 1900 
were as follows : W^ A. Ritz, president ; C. F. 
Van De Water, secretary ; O. R. Ballon, super- 
intendent; Mrs. J. B. Catron, su]jerintendent 
of the woman's department. 

One final item of interest concerning which 
the reader is likely to desire information, and 
that is the location and character of tjie market 
for fruit. Mr. W. S. Offner, who is probably 
better qualified than any one else here to report. 
prepared a statement for the Walla Walla 
Union some time ago, which we insert here : 

"The markets for Walla Walla vall'ey fruits 
and produce are world wide, as the past sea- 
son has proven. Our market in days gone by 
has been confined to a small scope of country, 
owing to a lack of proper transportation fa- 
cilities; the fruit industry being in its infancy, 
we were known only to our local markets in 
our own state and portions of Idaho and Mon- 
tana. However, as our orchards and gardens 
ha\e increased, so have our transportation fa- 
cilities, and to-day we practically have four 
through or transcontinental lines, viz. : the 
Union Pacific, Northern Pacific, Great North- 
ern and the Burlington route, carrying our 
fruits into other states. This gives us a choice 
of the above named routes to all eastern mar- 
l:ets. All these roads make every effort pos- 



sible to supply us with suitable cars and accom- 
modations for handling our fruits. 

"Our early fruits and vegetables are mar- 
keted principally in what we term our local 
market—Washington, Idaho and Montana, the 
latter two being a good market the entire sea- 
son. As stated before, we furnish a large por- 
tion of our own state with early fruits and 
vegetables. As is well known of our valley, 
owing to its mild climate and early springs, 
we are able to bring our produce into the mar- 
ket from two to three weeks earlier than other 
parts of the state. This gives us a great ad- 
vantage, especially with strawberries, allow- 
ing us to ship the bulk of the berry crop be- 
fore they are in market elsewhere in the state. 
We have, until the past season, marketed most 
of our berries and cherries in the local mar- 
ket, but experience has shown us that we have 
a market for berries in car-load lots in Denver, 
Omaha, Kansas City, St. Paul, Minneapolis 
and other eastern cities. Our berries ripening 
at the time they do, do not come in competi- 
tion with the home-grown berries of Kansas, 
Missouri, Nebraska and Minnesota. 

'"When we come to our larger fruits, espe- 
cially the prune, pear and apple, for which 
our valley is particularly adapted, I repeat the 
\i .regoing assertion that 'our markef is the 
v/orld,' having demonstrated the fact by ship- 
jiing a number of cars of prunes and pears to 
Si. Paul, Minnesota, Chicago, Kansas City, 
Indianapolis, Philadelphia and New York. We 
have had calls from many other eastern cities 
for our fruits that we cannot supply as yet, 
our output being too limited to supply the de- 
mand. Another market unknown to us until 
tl.e last season is British Columbia. They 
lia\e been calling upon us for our fruits, and 
a great many cars of apples found their way 



i6o 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



to these markets the past year, whicli only made 
the purchasers give us orders which we were 
unable to fill. Right Iiere I will state that the 
greatest trouble the fruit or commission men 
have is to get sufficient quantities of fruit to 
fill their orders. While the past season's fruit 
shipments from this valley have been numbered 
by the hundred cars, had we had a sufficient 
quantity of the right kind of fruits our car 
shipments would have been numbered by the 
thousands. W^ith increased production and bet- 
ter facilities for transportation to the eastern 
markets, we will soon be shipping our fruits 
by the train-load instead of car-loads, for it is 
a fact wherever our fruits have been tested 
they have met with favor and have created a 
demand which we have been unable to supply. 

"Another market opened to us is Texas, 
Arizona and Mexico, for it is a well-known 
fact that warm countries to not grow good 
apples, and e\en California, with all her wealth 
of fruit, orange groves, famous vineyards and 
big orchards in other fruits, comes to us in 
the spring for our fancy, well-kept winter 
apples. \Miile California and Mexico may send 
us their gold, oranges and lemons, we will send 
them in return the famous winter a])plcs of the 
Walla Walla valley. 

"La'st, but not least, comes our market in 
England for apples, some having already been 
shipped there. When our apples are once well 
known we will have a market for more than 
can probably be raised in the state, as our win- 
ter apples we would be glad to compare with 
the fruit of the most favored parts of the 
United States. 

"As to our fruit drying, it is yet in its in- 
fancy, we having been able so far to dispose 
of our fruit in a green state. There were 
several cars of prunes dried here last season 
and they were eagerly sought for in our eastern 



markets. Our Italian prune (which is nmstly 
raised here) commands a higher price than 
the famous California French or Petit prune, 
as it grows much larger and is of superior 
quality. An interview with any of tlie com- 
mission men of this city will undoubtedly \erify 
the facts that I have heretofore set forth and 
there is no question that we will find a mar- 
ket for all the fruit we can possibly raise in 
the Walla Walla valley." 

We have now spoken at length in regard 
to the three fundamental industries of this 
region. It remains to note more briefly the 
other lines of business which have become 
evolved from the necessities and opportunities 
of the country. It may be said that ihiiugh it 
is yet too early to find extensive manufactur- 
ing here, yet Walla Walla county has many 
of the natural facilities in abundance. Rapid 
and abundant streams may be made to furnish 
water-power in unlimited quantities. All the 
fruits of the earth and the products of animal 
life can be secured cheaply and of the finest 
qualities. The greatest drawback to manu- 
facturing is that iron and lumber must be 
shipped in for every kind of work. 

The chief industries of a manufacturing 
nature in Walla Walla are the flouring mills, 
tlic Gilbert Hunt separator manufactory, the 
Weber tannery, the various creameries, the 
sash and door factory, jind other wood work 
factories, the saddle-tree factory, and the 
marble works. 

First in order of time and capital come 

THE FLOURING MILLS. 

The first flouring mill in this county was 
liuilt in 1859 by A. H. Reynolds, in partner- 
ship with Dent and Simms. on the place owned 
now by Charles Whitney. The building was 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



i6i 



afterwards used as a distillery. It is still stand- 
ing, being used by Mr. Whitney as a store- 
house. In 1862 Mr. Reynolds built a second 
mill on the Yellowhawk, known as the Star 
mill. In 1862 H. P. Isaacs erected the mill in 
the eastern part of what is now Walla Walla, 
named it the North Pacific flouring mills, and 
thereby entered upon his long and successful 
career as the leading miller of this county. In 
1883 he erected the mill at Prescott, then the 
largest in eastern Washington. Andrew Mc- 
Calley was another pioneer mill man, cijming 
here in 1872, for some time superintending the 
North Pacific mills, then purchasing a mill 
west of town, erected by I. T. Reese in 1866. 
' Mr. McCalley was burned out, but rebuilt, and' 
the business was maintained by himself, and, 
after his death in 1891, by his sons, until the 
property was sold to W. H. Gilbert, who lost 
it by fire in 1897. The Eureka (first known as 
the Agate) mills were built by Ritz and 
Schnebly and conducted by W. C. Painter. 
Eventually they were sold to Welch and 
Schwabacher, who in turn sold them to Dement 
Brothers the date of the latter transfer being 
1880. The grades of flour manufactured by 
this mill have become famous wherexer used, 
and in fact they have found their markets in 
all parts of the world. The Washington Roller 
mill of Waitsburg was established in 1865 by 
S. M. Wait, the founder of that "burg," but 
was sold Ijy him to Preston Brothers, who en- 
larged and improved it, and now do a business 
in all quarters of the globe. Paine Brothers 
and Moore bought Mr. Wait's stock, and after- 
wards owned an interest in the mill, but sold 
out to Preston Brothers. It will give one an 
added sense of the largeness of this industry, 
as well as of the commercial closeness of the 
rest of the world, to learn that flour from these 
various Walla Walla mills goes to England, 



Italy, China, Japan, Philippine Islands, South 
Africa, Alaska and British Columbia. The 
City mills were erected by Scholl Brothers 
on Paluose street in Walla Walla in 1898. 
There is also a mill on the Yellowhawk, known 
as the Rising Star, erected by H. S. Kinzie, 
but now owned by Mrs. Rattlemiller. Several 
chop mills are also in operation in different 
parts of the valley. 

Such is a very brief summary of the flour- 
ing mills of this county. As to their capacity 
it may be said that the North Pacific mills of 
Prescott can grind five hundred barrels per day. 
Its average output, however, is about three 
hundred, and it ordinarily runs about three 
hundred days in the year, thus representing 
about ninety thousand barrels per year. The 
Washington Roller mills of Waitsburg and 
the Eureka mills of Walla Walla have each a 
capacity of two hundred and fifty barrels per 
day, aggregating in the year about sixty thou- 
sands barrels each. The City mills and the 
Rising Star mills turn out about seventy-five 
barrels each per day, or a yearly output of 
about twenty thousand barrels. Their total 
output may thus 'be seen to amount to about 
two hundred and fifty thousand barrels an- 
nually, or a business in flour alone of over 
three quarters of a million dollars. In addi- 
tion to this it should be noted that for every 
barrel of flour there is, on an average, seventy 
pounds of bran and chdp, or an aggregate of 
perhaps eighty-seven hundred and fifty tons. 
In addition to this, large quantities of break- 
fast food, as farina, germea, whole wheat and 
graham, in addition to the ordinary standard 
lirands, enumerated above, are sold at home 
and shipped abroad. It may doubtless be 
stated in round numbers that the annual out- 
put of mill products in Walla Walla exceeds a 
million dollars. 



l62 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUXTY. 



Xext ill iiiag-nitiuie of tlie manufacturing 
industries of AN'alla Walla county is the 

"pride of wasiiingtox" 

factory of Gilbert Hunt & Company. This 
great industry originated in machine shops 
owned by Byron Jackson. Gilbert Hunt and 
Christopher Ennis bought the establishment in 
1 888. Its work at that time was little more 
than that of a repair shop. In 1891 Mr. Hunt 
bought out his partner and conducted the busi- 
ness alone until 1893, ^vhen the business was 
reorganized under the firm name of Gilbert 
Hunt & Company, with Mr. Hunt as president 
and manager, and Walter McCalley as sec- 
retary and treasurer. Associated also in the 
business are Frank Hunt and Jay Williams. 
The business was conducted in wooden build- 
ings, seeming rather to invite disaster by fire, 
which was realized in 1898, when the entire 
works on the north side of Main street, to- 
gether with the foundry of J. L. Roberts, were 
swept from the earth. Laidismayed by the 
heavy loss the company at once proceeded to 
the establishment of a far more complete and 
elaborate plant than before. Large brick build- 
ings were erected and every department of the 
enterprise was reorganized on a vastly larger 
scale than before. AMiile the company makes 
the "Pride of Washington" separator their 
specialty, they do a vast business in engines, 
pumps, wind-mills, hose, leather and rubber 
belting, water-tanks, and in fact pretty much 
everything concerned in farming, harvesting 
and irrigating machinery. Their business ex- 
tends all over Washington. Oregon and Idaho. 
During the year 1900 they manufactured fifty 
threshers and employed an average of seventy- 
five men throughout the year. They now make 
all their castings, as well as every sort of wood 



work which enters into the construction of their 
various machines. 

It is fitting to mention here the Walla Walla 
foundr}^, conducted in 1879 by Messrs. Mar- 
shall and Jones. J. L. Roberts, for many years 
prominent in business and political circles in 
Walla Walla, became a partner in the enter- 
prise in 1879, ^"d the entire owner in 1887. 
The business became extensive and lucrative, 
but the disastrous fire in 1898 destroyed it, and 
on account of inadequate insurance proved very 
unfortunate to Mr. Roberts. The foundry was 
not replaced, but the assumption of the same 
kind of work by Hunt &; Company has filled 
the demand for that class of manufacture. 

Of the 

OTHER M.\XUFACTURIXG ESTABLISHMENTS 

of Walla Walla the sash and door factory of 
Whitehouse and Crimmins occupies a very im- 
portant place. This extensive industry was 
founded in 1880 by Messrs. Cooper and Smuck. 
In 1888 George Whitehouse and D. J. Crim- 
mins became chief owners of the establish- 
ment, although Mr. Cooper has continued to 
be a partner to the present time. The mill is 
equipped with all the most recent and improved 
machinery, and turns out annually an immense 
amount of finished lumber, sash and doors, 
mouldings, lath, besides large supplies of cup- 
boards, desks and other house furnishings. 
There is handled annually from two to four 
million feet of lumber. The number of men 
employed varies from twenty to thirty, accord- 
ing to the season. 

Two other extensive lumbering houses in 
Walla ^^'alla, the Chamberlin Lumber Com- 
pany and the Oregon Lumber Company, deal 
in lumber, although not engaged in its manu- 
facture. The supply of the former comes in part 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



163 



from Gray's Harbor, that of the latter in part 
from Bridal Veil JMills in Oregon. It is esti- 
mated, however, that ninety per cent, of the 
lu.niher used in Walla Walla comes from Puget 
Sound, although these last named lumber com- 
panies of the county. The lumber business of 
the amount of the lumber used in a commu- 
nity is so large an index to its progress that 
we shall find it of interest to note the volume 
o.f business performed by the various com- 
panies of the county. The lumber business of 
the city and county are performed substan- 
tially by the three companies named in the city, 
together with two establishments at Waits- 
burg, one at Prescott, and one at Eureka Junc- 
tion. The entire amount of business is esti- 
mated to amount to about ten million feet of 
lumber, five million shingles, fift}^ thousand 
cedar fence posts, and six thousand doors and 
windows annually. 

The Weber tannery was established by 
Frank Weber, Sr., in 1871. In 1879 it suf- 
fered destruction by fire, but was at once re- 
built on a larger scale, and since that time has 
continually broadened its business. An im- 
portant part of the leather, as well as other of 
the harness-makers' and shoe-makers' supplies 
•of all kinds for this entire upper country, come 
from the Weber tannery. 

There are three creameries in the county 
a1 the present time, and their products in round 
numbers is estimated at 133,189 pounds of but- 
ter, besides considerable cheese, representing a 
total value of probably over thirty thousand 
dollars. 

One of the most interesting and prospect- 
ively important enterprises of recent establish- 
ment is the Cox and Bailey Manufactm-ing 
Company. This company has been established 
by the purchase of the building and plant of 
the Walla Walla Fanning j\Iill Manufactory, 



which was started by Messrs, Carnahan and 
Fuller in 1898. Cox and Bailey acquired the 
property in the beginning of the year 1901 and 
are, at the present writing, actively engaged in 
equipping their factory with the best machinery 
and material. Their design is to do a general 
nianufacturing and repair business, especially 
in the line of agricultural implements. They 
will also have a first-class sawing department, 
and will be prepared to furnish all kinds of 
scroll and bracket work of the best sort. They 
expect to ship logs directly from the Cascades. 
When fully equipped they will employ from 
twenty-five to thirty men. 

The inauguration of this enterprise at this 
time is not only of importance in itself, but 
is one among many indications of the broaden- 
ing and ever enlarging business activity of this 
section. 

Another home manufacturing establish- 
ment worthy of more extended notice than we 
can here give is the saddle-tree factory of 
Ringhofer Brothers. This was founded by 
Steve Ringhofer in 1880, his brother joining 
him in a few years. Few people in W'alla 
Walla realize the amount of work done by these 
two industrious men with their assistants. Nor 
do they realize the wideness of the market 
reached by these Walla Walla saddle-trees. It 
is nearly as large as the market for Walla 
Walla fruits. In Calgary, Caribou, Montana, 
Wyoming, Utah, Idaho and southern Oregon, 
to say nothing of points near at hand, cowboys, 
vaqueroes, prospectors and packers sit astride 
saddles whose frames were shaped right here 
in Walla Walla. This business is about as near- 
ly a home enterprise as any here, for though 
wood must mainly be shipped in, the hides, 
which are an eriually essential feature, are se- 
cured from the Weber tannery in Walla Walla. 
The extensive marble and granite works of 



164 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



two different firms here, those of Xiles & Vin- 
son, and Roberts & Son, are deserving of an 
elaborate description did space permit. The 
extent of the supply, as well as of the market 
of both these establishments, is as much of a 
revelation as are similar facts in regard to 
some of the other lines of business described. 

Li a review necessarily limited as this is 
in space, it is not possible to present an ex- 
haustive account of every worthy and interest- 
ing industry. We have endeavored to present 
in the preceding pages a clear picture of the 
essential lines of constructive industry, to de- 
scribe the basis of those agencies by which the 
people of this country actually create products 
A rough estimate would probably show the ag- 
gregate value of the material thus made by the 
people of the county in 1900 at somewhere in 
the vicinity of four million dollars; certainly 
a very large amount to be produced by less than 
twenty thousand people. 

In addition to the true productive indus- 
tries hitherto described, Walla Walla city has 
a correspondingly active list of mercantile and 
miscellaneous establishments, \\hich may be 
summarized as follows : Three banks, of which 
two are national banks and one a savings l)ank ; 
three hotels, beside five lodging houses and a 
large number of boarding houses, and eight 
restaurants ; eleven general merchandise stores ; 
six hardware stores; two furniture stores; four 
house decorating and painting establishments; 
five watch and jewelry stores; seven drug 
stores; three shoe stores; thirteen grocery 
stores; five regular meat markets, besides four 
fish and poultry markets; four plumbing estab- 
lishments; four bakeries, besides a dozen con- 
fectionery and fruit stands ; four dressmaking 
and millinery establishments ; five aericultural 
implement houses, and these, it may be added, 



do exteiisi\e business not only in this but also 
in adjoining counties; two saddlery stores; 
three toy stores; thirty- four saloons; five cloth- 
ing stores; three wood-yards; two bicycle and 
sporting goods stores ; three music stores ; four 
book stores; two breweries; ten barber shops, 
of which six have bath rooms connected; four 
photograph galleries; and seven livery stables. 
In addition to these, which may be called the 
standard lines of business, there are a large 
number of work shops and repair shops of 
various kinds, laundries, of which one is a large 
steam laundry, and various small, miscellaneous 
establishments. 

As an interesting evidence of the steady 
increase of manufacturing industries in this 
county, we may add the following statement 
with respect to a factory at Waitsburg, which 
api)eared in a paper of that city, while this work 
was in preparation : 

''The Evans Harvester Manufacturing 
Company is the name of a new company or- 
ganized in Waitsburg. The new company will 
erect a factory in that city in the near future 
for the manufacture of the combined harvester 
patented by J. G. Evans. The incorporators 
are J. G. Evans, Frank ^IcCown, A. Storie, 
Arthur Roberts, J. W. Morgan, G. -M. Lloyd 
and J. L. Harper. 

"The board of trustees for the first si.x 
months will be G. M. Lloyd, J. L. Harper, 
Arthur Roberts and Andrew Storie. Mr. 
P'rank AlcCown is mentioned for president 
with J. G. Evans as secretary and Arthur Rob- 
erts as manager. The arrangements will all 
be perfected within a few days. 

"iNFr. W. E. Singer will have charge of the 
mechanical department, assisted by Mr. J. G. 
Evans. 

"The object is to perfect one machine this 



1-IISTORY OF \\'ALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



i6s 



season and get a perfect pattern from wliich it has been operated quite frequently of late 

to construct more. The machine has been set and gives every promise of being a complete 

up in 'Mr. Cox's wagon shop, and will con- success." 
vince the most skeptical that it will thresh, as 



CHAPTER XV. 



THE TR.\NSPORTATION LINES OF W.\LL.\ WALLA COUNTY. 



As sufficiently developed already in prior 
pages, Walla Walla county was long isolated 
from other portions of Oregon territory. Yet 
even in the days of the fur-traders there were 
regular lines of transportation by which goods 
from vessels at Vancouver were distributed to 
all the posts of the Hudson's Bay Company 
tiiroughout the Columbia valley, and by which 
the furs gathered along the thousand brawling 
streams of the interior, were transported to 
ship-board, and thence to the markets of the 
Old World. The transportation lines of the 
fur-traders consisted of bateaus, with frequent 
portages on cayuse back or Indian back. That 
was the true age of romance in the history 
of traffic. Xo braver and more enduring 
knights of the wilderness ever existed than 
those French Canadian voyageurs. Bold, res- 
olute, indefatigable, always ready for privation 
with laugh, and jest, and song,, those Canadian 
boatmen were the very beau ideal of explorers. 
From the blue waters of the Athabasca they 
would enter the lake on the crest of the Rocky 
mountains from which the Columbia issues, 
and descend the might\^ stream, through its 
succession of cataracts, lakes, and broad ex- 
panses, until they whiffed the salt spray of the 
Pacific. 

When American immigration began to en- 



ter Oregon, the bateaus were still a frequent 
means of transportation from The Dalles to 
the Willamette valley. Far-seeing men, like 
Whitman and others, even in the earliest period 
of settlement, plainly grasped the conception 
of the great steamboat lines along the rivers, 
and the railroad lines across the prairies and' 
through the mountain passes, which would 
some time bring that majestic wilderness into 
communication with the rest of the world. 

STEAMIJOAT LINES. 

The first steamship that ever ploughed the 
waters of Washington state was the Beaver, 
a Hudson's Bay steamboat, which entered the 
Columbia river in 1836 and afterwards went 
to Puget soimd. She is still afloat somewhere 
on the waters of the gulf of Georgia. The 
first American steamship on the Columbia was 
the Carolina, in 1850. The first river steamer 
was a little double ender called the Columbia, 
also in 1850. On Christmas day, 1850, was 
launched the first river steamboat of any size. 
This, was the Lot \Vhitcomb. It is interest- 
ir.g for Walla Walla people to remember that 
tlie purser of this boat was Dr. O. W. Nixon, 
who has been such a steadfast friend of Whit- 
man College. In 1851 a mo\ement to estab- 



1 66 



HISTORY OF WALLA ^^'ALLA COUNTY. 



liyli traffic with tlie "Inland Empire" was in- 
augurated l)y the building of the James T. 
Flint at the Cascades. The builders of this 
boat were Dan Bradford and B. B. Bishop, 
the latter of whom lived many years at Pendle- 
ton and was well known at Walla Walla. In 
1853 Allen McKinley brought the steamer 
Eagle to the cascades, where he had her taken 
to pieces to be carried by portage to the upper 
cascades, there to be put together again and 
relaunched. She was the first steamer to cut 
the sublime waters of the mid-Columbia. The 
3'ear 1S54 saw the launching of the Mary above 
the cascades. 1855 saw the \\'asco. In 1856 
the Hassalo was built. In 1857 the first steam- 
boat was built al)()ve The Dalles. This was the 
Colonel Wright, built at Celilo by R. R. 
Thompson and Laurence Coe. 

Thus, as we see, the steamboat lines worked 
their way at an early day, while Indian wars 
were yet raging, toward \\'alla Walla. 

In 1859 the famous old Oregon Steam 
Ka\igation Company was organized. By 1861 
its steaml)oats were running as far as Lewis- 
ton. The first steam railway lines in the north- 
v/est were the portage lines of this company. 
The first of six miles was on the north side of 
the river at the cascades, and the second of 
fifteen miles was on the south side between 
The Dalles and Celilo. These enterprising 
steamboat men got into business just in time 
to reap the rich harvest of the mining trade of 
i860, '61, '62. Though something of a mo- 
nopoly the Oregon Steam Navigation Com- 
pany was a great affair, and old settlers enjoy 
pleasant recollections when they call to memory 
the owners, captains, pursers, and even some 
of the deck hands. ]\Iemory easily conjures 
up the polite and yet determined Ainsworth, 
the brusque and rotund Ivucd, the bluff and 
hearty Knaggs, the frolicsome and never dis- 



concerted Ingalls, the dark and powerful Coe, 
the patriarchal beard of Stump, the loquacious 
"Commodore" W'olf, who used to point out 
the "diabolical strata" of the Columbia banks 
to astonished tourists, the massive figure of 
Strang, the genial Dan O'Neil, the suave and 
graceful Snow, the handsome Sampson, Mc- 
Nulty, with his rich Scotch brogue, "Little 
Billy," the bold and much experienced Baugh- 
man, and especially two of the "kid captains" 
of that early epoch, now still comparati\ 
young men, and e\cn then, though boys, con- 
sidered the best pilots on the river, \\'ill Gray 
and Jim Troup. 

After the inauguration of the steamlx'jat 
lines to Wallula and Lewiston, in 1861, traffic 
!)}■ prairie schooners began between Walla 
^^'aIla and Wallula. In 1862 and '63 there 
bia and Snake rivers, while the opposition line 
the ri\-er. But the completion of the portage 
railroads gave the Oregon Steam Navigation 
Company such an advantage that they were 
enabled to make a compromise by which they 
were given the exclusive right to the Colum- 
bia and Snake rivers, while the opposition line 
was to have a monopoly of the \\'illamette. 
After this compromise had been effected the 
following schedule of charges was established : 

Freight from Portland to Wallula, per ton, 
$50.00 : freight from Portland to Lewiston, 
per ton, $90.00 ; fare from Portland to Wal- 
lula. S18.00; fare from Portland ^o Lewiston, 
$28.00. 

Freight from Wallula to Walla Walla was 
Sio, or $12, per ton. by wagon.' 

In i860 there came to Walla Walla a man 
who was destined to become the greatest figure 
in both pioneer railroading and other business 
in. the history of Walla Walla. This was Dr. 
D. S. liaker. Almost from his first landing in 
Walla Walla Dr. iJakcr, more fuUv than any 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



167 



one else, formed a conception of tlie vast latent 
resources of the Walla Walla valley, and began 
to form plans of connection between it and the 
steamboat line, but after opposition had been 
destroyed on the river Dr. Baker determined 
to establish a portage road at the Cascades, 
with the expectation that this would encourage 
independent steamboats. But the O. S. N. Co., 
having secured a charter and right of way 
from Congress, Dr. Baker, for the only time 
in his life, found himself checkmated and had 
to sell out at a sacrifice. 

Agitation for the building of a railroad be- 
came very active in Walla Walla between 1863 
and 1868. On March 23. 1868, the citizens 
of Walla \\'alla gathered at the court house to 
discuss this question. As a result of the in- 
vestigations which fcillowed the Walla Walla 
and Columbia River Railroad Company was 
incorporated. Its incorporators were D. S. 
Baker, A. H. Reynolds, I. T. Reese, A. Kyger, 
J. II. Lasater, J. D. Mix, B. Scheideman and 
W. H. Newell. Their plan was to get the . 
Oregon Steam Navigation Company to take 
one hundred thousand dollars of stock, Walla 
Walla county two hundred thousand dollars, 
and the city fifty thousand dollars. An act 
of Congress of March 3, 1869, granted the 
right of way and authorized the county com- 
missioners to issue three hundred thousand dol- 
lars in aid of the road, provided the people 
approved it at a special election. After some 
delay the time of this election was set for June 
26, 1 87 1. But it having become evident by the 
expression of public opinion that the subsidy 
woulfl be defeated, the order for the election 
was revoked. The com])any then made a prop- 
osition to the people of Walla Walla. They 
proposed, in case the people of the county would 
authorize the issuance of three thousand dol- 
lars in ])onds, to build a strap iron railroad 



within a year; to place in the hands of the 
C(Anity commissioners the money received from 
down freights as a sinking fund, and to allow 
the board to fix the rate on such freights pro- 
vided it was not placed at less than two dollars 
per ton, nor so high as to exclude freight 
Irom the road; to give a first mortgage on the 
r(jad, to secure the county ; and to give security 
that the bonds would be used in constructing 
the road. An election was authorized by the 
board on September 18, 1871. As a result of 
the election, out of a total vote of nine hundred 
and thirty-fi\'e, a majority of eighteen was cast 
against the measure and it was therefore lost. 
The people of Walla Walla of that time seemed 
to have been mightily afraid of some monopoly 
control. Inasmuch as under the terms of the 
proposition they could have fixed down freights 
at two dollars a ton when they were at that 
time as a matter of fact paying over eight dol- 
lars a ton by wagon, it would seem that they 
performed the feat sometimes described as "bit- 
ing off one's nose to spite his face."' At any 
rate it was a long time before they got a two 
dollar schedule. 

DR. B.\KER's R.MLRO.VD. 

This project being thus defeated so far as 
Walla Walla county was concerned, Dr. Baker 
with a number of men prominent in \\'alla 
Walla then determined to build ami equip the 
road themselves. A 'new company was organ- 
ized, with the following directors: D. S. 
Baker, W. Stephens, I. T. Reese, L. McMorris, 
?I. M. Chase, H. P. Isaacs, B. L. Sharpstein, 
O. Hull and J. F. Boyer. In :\Iarch, 1872, 
he began grading at Wallula. Meantime 
many railroad projects were in the air. Among 
these were the Northern Pacific, with a branch 
southward through the Walla Walla and 



i68 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Grande Ronde countries. In 1S73 tlie Seattle 
and Walla Walla Railroad Company was or- 
ganized. In 1874 the Portland. Dalles and 
Salt Lake Railroad Company, which had been 
organized some years before, was revived amid 
great enthusiasm on the part of the people 
of ^^'alla \\'alla and other points in eastern 
Oregon and Washington. In the same year 
the Dayton and Columbia River Transporta- 
tion Company was incorporated. This com- 
]ianv proposed to build a narrow gauge road 
from Dayton to Wallula liy way of Waitsburg 
and Walla Walla: thence by steamers and 
portage railroads to Astoria. These enter- 
prises were stronger on paper than on the 
ground. On March 13. 1875, the report was 
circulated throughout the "Inland Empire'' 
that arrangements had been made with English 
capitalists to advance money for building the 
Portland, Dalles and Salt Lake Railroad and 
that it was to be completed in five years. There 
was a general period of jubilees throughout 
the countrv until it was learned that this an- 
nouncement was premature, and that the ar- 
rangements had collapsed, like many other rail- 
road gas-bags. 

In the meantime Dr. Baker was working 
away quietly and effectively upon the Walla 
Walla and Columbia River Railroad. Fifteen 
miles of track had been completed from Wal- 
lula to the Touchet by March, 1874. Wooden 
rails were at first used, upon which strap iron 
was afterwards laid. Major Sewell Truax was 
the engineer in charge. In 1874 this little road 
carried from the Touchet to W'allula over four 
thousand tons of wheat and brought back in 
return n\-cr eleven hundred tons of merchandise. 
After much jjulling and hauling over the ques- 
tion of subscriptions by the people of the city, 
it was provided that if the railroads were im- 
mediately completed to Walla Walla the people 



should give the company three acres of land 
for depot and side tracks, secure the right of 
way for nine miles west of the city, and a cash 
subsidy of twenty-five thousand dollars. At 
last the great day of c9mpletion came. On Oc- 
tober 23, 1875, ^Valla Walla was connected by 
rail with the Columbia river. 

The building of Dr. Baker's railroad had 
involved a vast deal of work and enterprise. 
As an illustration of the peculiar expense of 
this road might be mentioned the difficulty of 
securing ties for its construction. These were 
first gotten out on the Grande Ronde river, 
floated down the Grande Ronde, Snake and 
Columbia rivers to \\'allula. at an average cost 
of about a dollar apiece, from three to four 
times the ordinary expense of ties. But the 
supply from the Grande Ronde proved inad- 
equate, and the projectors were compelled to 
have recourse to the Yakima river. In the 
year 1875 this railroad hauled 9,155 tons of 
wheat to Wallula. 

In 1876 contention broke out between Dr. 
Baker's railroad and the people of Walla Walla. 
Dr. Baker, apparently feeling — whether cor- 
rectlv or not we will not undertake to decide — 
that the people of \\'alla \\'alla had done very 
little to advance the interest of his road, had 
fixed the freig'ht rate at $5.50 per ton. Though 
this was much less than had been paid to team- 
sters before, it seemed extortion to some of 
the i^eople, and a committee of citizens was ap- 
pointed to request a reduction. The request 
was not granted. There was discussion by the 
Grange Council as to the possibility of making 
a canal from Whitman [Mission to Wallula. 
A number of merchants tried the wagon route 
again, freight being reduced to five dollars per 
ton, at one time even to four dollars and fifty 
cents. At the same time there began to be 
heavy shipments of grain by team from Day- 



HISTORY OF WALLA \\'ALLA COUXTY. 



169 



ton and vicinity to '"Grange City" at the mouth 
of the Tukannon, whence it was transported 
to Portland by the Oregon Steam Navigation 
Company's boats for eight dollars per ton. An 
opposition boat, the Northwest, was run for 
two years from Lewiston to Celilo by Captain 
Stump and Small Brothers, the chief owners 
being Paine Brothers & [Moore. 

It proved to be impossible for the teams 
to compete with the railroad, even at five dol- 
lars and a half per ton. The amount of freight 
steadily increased all that time. In 1876 there 
Avere hauled from ^\'alla Walla to Wallula 
16,766 tons, of which teams hauled 1,500 tons, 
the railroad the residue. The return freight 
amounted to 4,034 tons, showing a very heav}' 
balance of trade in favor of Walla Walla. It 
is, in fact, a remarkable feature of our county 
to-day that the exports exceed imports by prob- 
ably three to one. 

Other railway projects were in the air in 
that same centennial year of 1876. Among 
them was the Walla \\"alla & Dayton Railroad, 
but it never got beyond the map stage. 

In 1877 the first steps were taken in the 
great government enterprise of the Cascade 
locks, an undertaking which should have vast 
influence on the industrial development of the 
Inland Empire, though it evidently will not 
until the dalles are overcome. It was nearly 
twent}- years before the great canal and locks 
were finished. 

In 1877 there were 28.806 tons of freight 
shipped from A\'alla Walla by way of Wallula. 
The rate had then been reduced to four dollars 
and a half per ton. It is noticeable that in the 
same year 8.368 tons of freight were shipped 
in. and of this nearly half consisted of agri- 
cultural implements, showing something of 
the great development of the industry of 
farming. 



In 1877 Dr. Baker had preliminary sur- 
\ey5 and estimates on a branch from Whitman 
Mission to Weston, and this was ultimately 
completed as far as Blue Mountain station. 
But, as is nearly always the case with the pio- 
neer railway enterprises which pay, the Walla 
Walla & Columbia River Railroad was destined 
to be absorbed by a larger. It had become a 
well paying property under Dr. Baker's skill- 
ful and energetic management, and the Oregon 
Steam Navigation Company cast envious eyes 
upon it. They contemplated at that time mak- 
ing a regular system of narrow-gauge roads 
through the Inland Empire, connecting with 
the boats on the Columbia and Snake rivers. 
After long continued negotiations Dr. Baker 
sold the larger part of his stock in 1879 to 
the chief stockholders of the Oregon Steam 
Navigation Company, Messrs. Ladd, Ains- 
worth. Reed and Tilton. As we shall see later 
on, the Oregon Steam Navigation Company 
was in turn swallowed b}- the Oregon Railway 
& Navigation Company, and that in succession 
became a part of the great L'nion Pacific sys- 
tem. Dr. Baker's road, though thus temporary-, 
performed an incalculable part in the trans- 
portation developments of \\'alla ^\'alla county. 

STAGE LINES. 

While considering the pioneer steamboat 
and railroad lines, our suney would be incom- 
plete if we did not notice the great pioneer 
stage lines, which for many }ears were the 
chief means of mail and passenger transporta- 
tion. J. F. Abbott, whose family are still liv- 
ing in Walla Walla, was the pioneer stage 
manager of this valley. In 1859 he put on 
the first stages between \\'allula and Walla 
Walla. In the next year he effected a part- 
nership with Rickey and Thatcher on the same 



I70 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



line. Stage lines, carrying the mails, were es- 
tablished by Miller and Blackmore between 
The Dalles and \Valla Walla in 1861. Li the 
following year Rickey & Thatcher established 
a line from Walla \\'alla to Lewiston, and in 
the same year Blackmore & Chase operated 
lines between Wallula and Walla Walla. There 
were a number of independent stage lines run- 
ning between all the points named during the 
years that followed. George F. Thomas, whose 
family are now well known in Walla Walla, 
ran a line from Wallula to Boise by way of 
Walla \\'alla and the Woodward toll road. The 
great transcontinental stage lines of Ben Holli- 
day were operating on the plains in 1864, and 
partly through them Walla Walla began to 
come into communication with the world. 
That was the age of stages, hold-ups, Indians, 
and prairie-schooners, an age of romance and 
adventure which can never be repeated. The 
amount of business done by team in those times 
was something astonishing. A A\''ashington 
Statesman of the year 1862 estimated the 
amount of freight landed at Wallula from the 
steamers, to be thence distributed by wheel 
throughout the upper country at one hun- 
dred and fifty tons weekly, and the nunil>er 
of passengers from fifty to six hundred weekly. 

In 1871 an extensive stage line began to 
operate throughout this region. This was the 
Northwestern Stage Company. It connected 
the Central Pacific Railroad at Kelton, L^tah, 
with The Dalles. Pendleton. Walla Walla. Col- 
fax. Dayton. Lewiston. Pomeroy, "and all 
points north and west." To illustrate the ex- 
tent of its operations it may be said that it 
used three hundred horses, twenty-two stages, 
one hundred and fifty employes, and annually 
fed out three hundred and si.xty-five tons of 
grain and four hundred and twelve tons of hay. 

Such were what may be styled the pioneer 



transportation lines. — boats, railroads and 
stages. — of the Walla Walla countrv. \\'e now 
turn to those of a maturer growth, the great 
transcontinental lines, which now connect us 
with all parts of the world. 

TRANSCONTINEXTAL R.\ILR0.\DS. 

The state of Washington has been singu- 
larly fortunate in the number and character 
of its transportation lines. Unlike California, 
it has never become the prey of one rapacious, 
never satiated transportation devourer. like the 
Southern Pacific Railroad. Three competing 
lines, lines, too, which may be said to be guided 
in general by broad policies and an intelligent 
public spirit, the Northern Pacific, the L'nion 
Pacific and the Great Northern, connect this 
state with all parts of the world. Besides these 
the Canadian Pacific on the north and the 
Southern Pacific on the south as near as Port- 
land, add to our already generous railroad con- 
nections. This system of railroads, unequalled 
in the Union for a new state, is an index of 
what may be anticipated in industrial develop- 
n-.ent here in the near future. Freight rates 
ar.d passenger rates, .under the influence of this 
wholesome competition have steadily declined, 
the incoming of immigration has been en- 
couraged, the establishment of new industries 
has been fostered, and all phases of the activity 
of the state quickened. True, many farmers 
in the eastern part of the state feel that freight 
rates are too high, and every legislature writhes 
and struggles with one or more railroad rate 
bills. Some inland cities have had long con- 
tinued fights with the railroads on "long haul" 
conditions, etc. Yet when we come to balance 
up the general situation for the state we find 
our lot an enviable one as compared with most 
other western states, and especially California. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



171 



And it may be added, tlic sure prospect is of 
continued betterment. 

It is a noteworthy fact that the project of 
Pacific railroads was scouted at as visionary 
and preposterous by the most eminent men of 
the United States, such as Webster, Benton and 
others, though, as well known, Benton speedily 
discovered his mistake and became one of the 
foremost friends of the Pacific coast acquisi- 
tion. But the pioneers of the Pacific coast un- 
derstood better the resources and the possibil- 
ities of communication. Governor Isaac I. 
Stevens performed one of his greatest achieve- 
ments in the great exploration of the year 
1853, whicli had in view the establishment of 
some practicable railroad line to Puget sound. 
It is interesting to note that Captain George 
B. ^IcClellan was placed in charge of the 
western party in this Northern Pacific railroad 
survey. In the letter of April 5, 1853, from 
Stevens to McClellan we find the following gen- 
eral outline of the proposed work : "The route 
is from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Puget sound 
by the great bend of the Missouri river, through 
a pass in the mountains near the forty-ninth 
parallel. A strong party will operate west- 
ward from St. Paul ; a second but smaller party 
will go up thc^Iissouri to the Yellowstone, 
and there make arrangements, reconnoitre the 
country, etc., and on the junction of the main 
party they will push through the Blackfoot 
country, and reaching the Rocky mountains will 
keep at work tliere during the summer months. 
The third party, under your command, will be 
oiganizcd in the Puget sound region, you and 
your scientific corps going over the isthmus, 
and will ojierate in the Cascade range and 
meet the party coming from the Rocky moun- 
tains. * * * The amount of work in the 
Cascade range and eastward, say to the prob- 
able junction of the parties at the great bend 



of the north fork of the Columbia river, will 
be immense. Recollect, the main object is a 
railroad survey from the head waters of the 
Mississippi river to Puget sound. **=!=* 
We must not be frightened by long tunnels or 
enormous snows, but set ourselves to work to- 
overcome them." It is a curious historical fact 
tl'.at McClellan, although an engineer of the 
highest skill and ability, showed the same lack 
of daring and originality which during the 
Civil war ten years later obscured his conspic- 
uous talents and caused such lamentable chap- 
ters in the history of the Northern armies. For 
he quailed from the winter explorations neces- 
sary to determine the depth of snow in the 
Cascade mountains. 

Such was the first elaborate attempt at the 
establishing of a railroad route across the con- 
tinent. Though a long time elapsed, in the end 
it bore abundant fruit. In the 'sixties the en- 
tire country became interested in the project 
of railway connection between the Atlantic and 
Pacific. It was customary for political plat- 
forms to demand government action toward 
that end. This sentiment was the foundation 
of the subsequent immense land grant subsidies 
gi\-en tn the transcontinental railroads. 

After the war was over and the country free 
to turn its pent up energies to industrial pur- 
suits the grand popular dream of Pacific rail- 
ways began rapidly to be realized. California 
naturally had the first through line, and the 
golden spike that joined the Central and Union 
Pacific Railroads was driven on the lOth of 
May, 1869. Meanwhile the Northern Pacific 
had been incorporated and granted the right 
of way by congress on the 2d of July, 1864. 
In 1870 a contract was made with Jay Cooke 
& Company to act as financial agent for the 
road and procure means for its construction. 
In all tiiat agitation which resulted in this first 



172 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



definite step toward Iniilding the nortliern road, 
a well known citizen of Walla \\'alla was one 
of the most influential factors. This was 
Philip Ritz. Jilessrs. Cass and Ogden, two of 
the most important of the early directors of the 
road, afterwards stated that it was a letter of 
I\lr. Ritz that first called their attention to the 
enterprise. 

Work was actually hegun on the Northern 
Pacific Railroad in 1870. The division be- 
tween Portland and Puget sound was the first 
to receive attention in this state. It was nearly 
wrecked by the financial panic of 1873, which 
carried down Jay Cooke & Company and many 
other great houses. It was, however, reor- 
ganized two years later, and in 1879 construc- 
tion was resumed not to be suspended until the 
iron horse had drunk both out of Lake Supe- 
rior and the Columbia river. In 1881 Henry 
Villard, president of the Oregon Railway & 
Navigation Company, by means of his famous 
"blind pool," obtained a majority of the stock 
of the Northern Pacific Railroad and became 
its president. In 1883 he pushed the con- 
struction of the road from Duluth to Wallula, 
and there it was connected by the O. R. & N. 
■with Portland. The gorgeous pageantry of 
the Villard excursion, the great boom in Port- 
land which followed, together with the finan- 
cial downfall of Villard, the re-establishment 
of the Wright interest in the Northern Pacific, 
and the general collapse at Portland, are still 
no doubt vivid in the minds of all persons who 
were living in the country at that time. Not 
until the summer of 1888 was the gigantic 
task of crossing the Cascade mountains by w'ay 
of the Yakima valley and the Stampede pass 
fully accomplished. A year prior to that time, 
however, trains ascended and descended the 
Cascades bv the dizzy zigzags of the Switch- 
back, drawn by those gladiators of steel and 



steam, the mighty "decapods," which ground 
their way resistlessly up three-hundred-foot 
grades. 

Since the completion of the main line of 
the Northern Pacific, it has sprouted w-ith 
brandies in all directions. The most import- 
ant of these to us of Walla Walla is the Wash- 
ingtun & Columbia River Railroad, familiarly 
known as the Hunt line. This road was or- 
ganized as the Oregon & Washington Terri- 
tory Railroad by Pendleton parties in 1887. 
G. W. Hunt contracted to build the road in 
that year. The original projectors having 
failed in their means, Mr. Hunt took posses- 
sion of the road and in 1888 he built from 
Hunt's Junction to Heli.x and Athena, in Uma- 
tilla county, and to Walla Walla. The branch 
up Eureka flat to Pleasant View was construct- 
ed also in 1888. During the next 3'ear the road 
was extended to Dayton and in 1890 to Pen- 
dleton. Then Mr. Hunt, having shown such 
conspicuous energy and ability, and having 
thus far apparently been favored by fortune, 
found himself embarrassed by the tightening 
grasp of the hard times, and sold the road to 
C. B. W"right, of the Northern Pacific, in 
February, 1891. In December of that year 
the road was placed in the hands of a receiver. 
In 1892 it was reorganized under the name 
which it now bears. 

The present mileage of the Washington & 
Columbia River Railroad is 162./^ miles. Of 
this the main line from Pendleton to Dayton 
covers 128.41 miles, the Athena branch 14.59 
and the Eureka Flat branch 19.73; 117.78 
miles are in Washington and 44.95 in Ore- 
gon. Considering the population of the coun- 
try which it supplies, the amount of freight 
handled by this road is extraordinary. The 
amount of freight carried out for the year end- 
ing June. 1900. was. in round numbers, about 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



173 



one hundred and thirty thousand tons of grain 
and about twenty thousand tons of other 
freight. Of this amount 62,776 tons were 
shipped from Waha Walla -county. The 
amount of freight brought in was, in round 
numbers, forty thousand tons, of which about 
half consisted of lumber, wood and posts, and 
the other half miscellaneous merchandise. A 
little over half of this amount was discharged 
in Walla Walla county. By its connection with 
the Northern Pacific at Hunt's Junction, this 
line is the natural route from Walla Walla to 
Puget sound. 

The other transcontinental railroad upon 
which Walla Walla county is specially depend- 
ent is the Union Pacific system, through the 
Oregon Railway & Navigation line. This line 
was the successor upon the river of the old 
Oregon Steam Navigation line, having pur- 
chased that property in 1879. Henry Villard 
was its animating genius. He came to this 
country first in the interest of the German 
bondholders of the Oregon & California Rail- 
road. With the quick grasp of a statesman 
Mr. Villard perceived here the opportunity of 
a lifetime. He saw that a railroad up the 
Columbia river with branches north, east and 
southeast, might be thrust like a wedge be- 
tween the Northern Pacific and the Union 
Pacific and control both. He made three great 
steps in quick succession. The first was the 
incorporation of the Oregon Railway & 
Navigation Company. The second was the 
formation of the "blind pool," and the Oregon 
& Transcontinental Company. The third was 
the acquisition of a controlling interest in the 
Northern Pacific Railroad. 

The years of building the railroad from' 
Portland to Wallula, '8o-'83, were never sur- 
passed in activity and in results in the history 
of railroad building in this country. To the 



untiring and sometimes destructive energy of 
Contractor Hallett, the speedy execution of the 
difficult and expensive line along the Columbia 
river was due. In 1883, as already noted, the 
gap betwixt the Oregon line and the Northern 
Pacific was joined at Wallula, and the Pacific 
Northwest had its first through line to the east. 
Although Villard's financial downfall en- 
sued almost at the moment of his triumph, 
and the Oregon & Transcontinental Company 
failed, and as a natural consequence the O. R. 
& N. lost permanent control of the Northern 
Pacific Railroad, Villard's scheme is fulfilling 
its destiny in part, by the fact that the O. R. 
& N. has become an essential portion of the 
Union Pacific system. 

As now constituted, the O. R. & N. sys- 
tem is a vast and comprehensive combination 
of steamboat and railroad lines. It runs a 
magnificent group of ocean steamships from 
Portland both north and south, and it has a 
fleet of superb river steamers on the Columbia, 
Snake and Willamette rivers. It also has a line 
of steamers on Puget sound. 

The genesis of the railway division of the 
Oregon Railway & Navigation Company has 
already been described. With Portland as a 
starting point, it radiates in all directions 
throughout the Inland Empire. The main line 
extends from Portland to Huntington, a dis- 
tance of four hundred and four miles. At that 
point it connects with the Oregon Short Line, 
which extends five hundred and forty miles 
further to Granger, W^-oming, on the main line 
of the Union Pacific. The chief branch of the 
road diverging from the main road at Umatilla 
extends to Spokane. From this, as from the 
main line, branch out numerous important short 
lines. Those in Walla Walla county are the 
lines from Pendleton to Walla Walla, from 
Walla Walla to Riparia, from Walla Walla 



174 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



to Wallula, and from \\'allula by river to Ri- 
jiaria. There are also the narrow gauge lines 
from Walla Walla to Dudley and Dixie. The 
aggregate mileage, not counting the side tracks, 
is one hundred and sixty-four miles. 

The amount of freight shipped out of 
\\'alla Walla county by the Oregon Railway 
& Navigation Company during the past year 
was about thirty thousand tons, and the amount 
of freight shipped in was about thirty-five 
thousand tons. The "in-freight" included an 
immense quantity of wood and lumber, and 
hence exceeds "out-freight." 

This survey of the railroad connections 
of \\'alla Walla county would be incomplete 
without reference to the Great Northern line. 
Although this line does not touch Walla Walla 
countv.vet liv means of its traflic arrangements 



with the Oregon Railway & Navigation Com- 
pany it gi\-es us practically the benefit of an- 
other transcontinental line. And it must be 
stated that the Great Northern line, by the 
phenomenal energy, foresight and broad pol- 
icy of its management, has brought benefits 
to all the regions it has touched, and its pres- 
ence in this county is a proper subject of grati- 
fication. 

Though Walla Walla has at times been 
embarrassed by not being on either one of the 
main lines, and though the connections have 
not at all times in the past been the most con- 
venient, there has been a steady improvement 
during the past two years and we may look 
forward with confidence to a future of cheaper, 
more convenient and entirely satisfactory 
transportation ser\ice. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS OF W.\LL.\ WALL.\ COUNTY. 



The larger portion of this work is occu- 
lted with facts in respect to the political and 
industrial and military history of the county. 
But although these in the nature of the case 
are the most obvious and apparently import- 
ant, it does not follow that there may not be 
other agencies of deeper import. One of the 
great foundation ideas of American states, an 
idea which underlies all that we have and are 
as a people to distinguish us from others, is 
the great thought of popular education. Amid 
all the eager bustle of business and experiment 
which have characterized the west, there has 
ever been the eager determination that facili- 
ties for education should be afforded the chil- 



dren of the state. It need not therefore sur- 
prise us to find that the western states in gen- 
eral surpass older ones in provision for schools. 
Some of the people of the Atlantic states, ac- 
cutomed to look with something of a patron- 
izing disdain upon the supposedly uncultured 
communities of the west, are greatly surprised 
when they discover from statistics that the 
average of freedom from illiteracy is greater 
in the west than in the east. The three states 
with the least percentage of illiterates are 
Iowa, Nebraska and Washington. \\'hile we 
thus claim a very high standard for oin- state 
and for the west in general, we should not 
arrogate to ourselves an equality with some of 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



1/5 



the picked communities of the eastern states 
in the organization and equipment of our 
schools. It takes time to accomplish the great 
results of a complete educational system. It 
is not yet possible that Washington should 
have schools equal in all respects to those of 
Ohio, Massachusetts or Michigan. 

But this we of the state of Washington 
can claim, that the people of no state surpass 
ours in general intelligence or in a disposition 
to accord the highest opportunities for edu- 
cation for their children. We ha\-e been lay- 
ing, broad and deep, the foundations for pop- 
ular education. Our schools, while not yet 
fully developed, contain within themselves the 
latent resources of a life and power equal to 
the best. 

What is true of the schools of the state in 
general is also true of those of this county. 
Considering the time that they have had, the 
schools of this county are a just source of 
pride to the citizens. Walla Walla city has 
become within the last few years an educa- 
tional center, perhaps beyond any other place 
in the state. Aside from the excellent public 
school system, at the head of which stands the 
high school, we have here Whitman College, 
Walla Walla College, St. Paul's Academy, St. 
Vincent's Academy, La Salle Institute, the 
Walla Walla Business College, and a privately 
conducted kindergarten. 

THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

The following brief sketch, prepared by 
Superintendent G. S. Bond, gives an accurate 
impression of the public schools as now organ- 
ized: 

It is the primary object of the writer, in preparing this 
statement, to present to the pubhc a brief recital of the 
present condition of the educational facilities of Walla 
Walla county, rather than attem[it to give any account of 



the history and growth of those facilities. Were it even 
desirable to do so, it would, for two reasons, prove a 
somewhat difficult undertaking. The records compiled 
by the earlier school officers are quite incomplete, if com- 
pared with present requirements, and the subdivision of 
the original county into the present counties of Columbia, 
Garfield, Asotm and Walla .Walla, occasioned many 
changes in the various school districts, and led to a com- 
plete re-districting and re-numbering. This, the records 
in the county superintendent's office show, was done be- 
tween the years 1879 and 1&86. 

In 1891, the county superintendent, by order of the 
county commissioners, brought together in one book the 
plats and boundaries of the various districts, numbered 
consecutively from 1 to 53. Since that date, to meet 
the requirements of the constant increase in population, 
many changes in boundaries have been made and 13 new 
districts have been formed, making a total of 66. Six of 
these are joint w-ith Columbia county. 

The subdivision of the county into 66 school districts 
brings nearly every section within easy range of school fa- 
cilities. Especially is this true of the eastern and southern 
portions where the county is most densely populated. With 
but few exceptions these districts have good, comfortable 
school houses, furnished with modern pa'ent desks, and 
fairly well supplied with apparatus. Six new school 
houses were built, and a considerable amount of furniture 
was purchased last year. 

A movement which is receiving considerable atten- 
tion and which is proving of great service to the county 
is the establishment by private enterprise, entertainment 
or subscription, of district libraries. About twenty have 
received their books, whith are eagerly read by both 
pupils and parents. Others are preparing entertainments 
to raise a library fund. It is greatly to be hoped that our 
legislature may pass some law at this session to encour- 
age the district library. It is one of the measures most 
needed to improve our rural schools. 

Another feature that is proving of benefit to the 
country schools is common school graduation. An op- 
portunity to take an examination for graduation is given 
at various times, to eighth-grade pupils in any of the 
schools. The diplomas admit to high school without 
further examination. Many take pride in having finished 
the common school course, and are induced to remain in 
school much longer than they otherwise would. 

Eight districts are at present maintaining graded 
schools. There seems to be a growing sentiment in some 
of the more densely populated sections to gather together 
their pupils for the superior advantages of the graded 
school. Walla Walla, No. 1, provides an excellent four 
year high school course. No. 3 (Waitsburg) also has a 
high school department. 

Were all the schools in session at the same time there 
would be required a force of 116 teachers. The districts- 
employing more than one teacher are: Walla Walla 30 
Waitsburg 7, Prescott 3, Seeber 3, and Dixie, Wallula 
Harrer and Touchet 2 each. Of those employed at thig 



176 



HISTORY OF WALLA W^ALLA COUNTY. 



time, seven hold life diplomas or state certificates, 18 
normal diplomas, 25 first grade certificates, 21 second 
grade, and 15 third grade. Twenty applicants failed last 
year. If the present crowded condition of the Walla 
Walla and Waitsburg schools continues next year it will 
necessitate an increase in the teaching force of five or six 
at the former place and of one at the latter. 

The Teachers' Reading Circle was reorganized in 
January, and meetings have been arranged for the more 
central points throughout the county. The sessions are 
well attended, the exercises carefully prepared. About 
50 teachers have purchased one or more of the books and 
enrolled as members. All teachers have free access to a 
library of about 75 volumes, treating principally on theory 
and practice, or the history and philosophy of educa- 
tion. 

Our school districts never began a year on a more 
solid financial basis than they did the present one. Fifty- 
one of the sixty-six had a good balance to their credit in 
the hands of the county treasurer. A comparison of the 
last financial statement with that of previous years is 
given to mark the increase. 

RECEIPTS. 1897. 1898. 1900. 

Balance in the hands 
of county treasurer. S 9,.V21 43 S 9,297 24 S 25,838 81 

Amount apportioned 
to districts by coun- 
ty superintendent.. 32,104 54 56,210 31 58,574 66 

Amount received from 
special tax 11,76162 26,346 81 26,503 99 

Amount from sale of 

500 00 1,410 00 



school bonds 

Amount transferred 

from oth^r districts 
Amounts from other 

sources 



131 54 



82 69 



500 00 



2,212 15 



Total §54,019 13 


§93,347 05 


gl 13,629 61 


EXPENDITURhS. 


1897. 


1898. 


1900. 


Amount paid for 








teachers' wages . . . . S 


S 47,278 95 


S 38,691 71 


Amount paid for rents 








fuel, etc 


38,027 39 


10,697 78 


13,653 06 


Amount paid for sites. 








buildings, etc 




2,902 68 


32,152 61 


Amount paid for m- 








terest on bonds. . . . 


2,578 00 


2,645 55 


4.301 00 


Amount paid for in- 








terest on warrants. 


4,113 75 


5,649 78 


1,650 94 


Amount reverting to 








general school fund 
For redemption ot 


2 75 












bonds 






500 00 


Amount for other dis- 






tricts 






12 86 










Total $44,721 89 


569,173 94 


$90,962 18 


Balance on hand. . 


9,297 24 


24,173 11 


22,667 43 



The hard times experienced two or three years ago 
materially affected teachers' wages in this county. The 
average amount paid male teachers, according to the 
annual report of the county superintendent in 1898, was 
S56.57; for female teachers, S39.54. For 1900, male 
teachers, 862.50; female teachers, f 52.40. There seems, 
however, to be dawning a brighter future for the consci- 
entious teacher. Rigid examinations for two years have 
lessened the competition from those who entered the work 
only because they had no other employment; the districts 
are able to hold longer terms and pay larger salaries 
now. The minimum salary this year is 810.00; other 
rural districts pay $45 and 850. Salaries in the graded 
schools are from f65 to 8100 per month. The average 
length of term in 1898 was six and one-half months; the 
average for 1900 is seven and three-fourths months. 

The estimate in the county superintendent's annual 
report for 1898 places the total value of school houses and 
grounds at $162,080; of school furniture, 815,317; of ap- 
paratus, etc. , 83,871; of libraries, 81,690. Amount of in- 
surance on school property, $79,605; of bonds outstand- 
ing, 145,300; warrants outstanding, $41,274. The last 
enumeration of children of school age shows 4,275 resided 
in the county June 1; of these 3,621 were enrolled in the 
public schools, and made an average daily attendance of 
2,076. 

For 1900, school houses and grounds, 8194,060; fur- 
niture, 816,3.50; apparatus, 84,000; libraries, $2,450; insur- 
ance, $100,650; bonds outstanding, $75,300; warrants out- 
standing, 882,721.16; children of school age, 4,767; children 
enrolled, 4,102; average daily attendance, 2,322. 

Special mention shovild be made of the in- 
stitution which is the crowning feature of the 
pubhc school system, that is, the high school. 

THE \VALL.\ W.\LLA HIGH SCHOOL 

Was inaugurated in the year 1889. under the 
superintendency of Professor R. C. Kerr, who 
also acts as city superintendent. The high 
school was located at the first in the Baker 
school, but in 1890 was quartered in the Paine 
school, and there it still continues. Its first 
class was graduated in 1893. The total num- 
ber of graduates to 1900 was eighty. The 
course, which at first re(|uired three years, now 
gives four years of thorough study, which en- 
ables its graduates to enter Whitman College 
or any of the first-class colleges of the state. 
The number of students has increased rapidly 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



177 



until at the present time there are enrcjlled about 
one hundred and sixty pupils. The present 
faculty of the high school consists of Professor 
R. C. Kerr, Miss Rose Dovell and Professor 
J. W. Shepherd. Miss Amy B. Richards, Miss 
Blair and Mrs. Minnie Cohn were at different 
times on the faculty. The school is acquiring 
a considerable quantity of apparatus, and a 
well-selected, though not large, library. The 
high school is a just cause of satisfaction to 
the people of the town, and it plainly contains 
within it elements of growth and miprovement 
which will make it in time one of the best in- 
stitutions of the kind in the state. 

As we consider our present excellent pub- 
lic school systeiu, our minds are naturally 
turned toward the schools and the school build- 
ings of the old days. It is said that the first 
school-house was within the present limits of 
the garrison reserve, and the teacher was Harry 
Freeman, of troop E, first dragoons. The year 
has been said to have been '56, though it must 
have been '57, inasmuch as the fort was not 
provided with any buildings until that year. 
This school was attended by several persons 
afterwards well known in Walla Walla. 
Among these were James and Hugh McCool, 
and their sister ]\Iaggie, afterward Mrs. James 
ilonaghan, mother of the gallant Lieutenant 
Monaghan, who perished recently in the Sa- 
moan islands. Robert Smith, Mrs. Mike 
Kenny, John Kelly, and the Sickler girls, are 
also said to have attended this school. The 
next school was started by Mrs. A. J. Miner. 
Her school was at first a private one, conducted 
in 1861-62 in a house on Alder street near 
the corner of First street, about where Mr. 
G. W. Babcock's house now stands. J. H. 
Blewett was also one of those early private 
teachers. 

Up to this time there had been no public 

12 



schools. A school clerk had, however, been 
appointed, together with other officers, on 
March 26, 1859, in the person of William B. 
Kelly. J. F. Wood was elected superintendent 
of schools at the election of July 14, 1862. 
In that year district No. i, embracing the 
whole city, was organized, a room rented and 
a teacher employed. No building was put up 
for school purposes, and little attention seems 
to have been paid to education until the fall 
of 1864. At that time there were two hundred 
and three children in the district, of whom but 
ninety-three were enrolled. On December 12, 
1864, a school meeting was held, in which it 
was determined to levy a tax of two and one- 
half mills for the erection of a school house. 
The block of land upon which the Baker 
school house now stands was donated by Dr. 

D. S. Baker, and a building costing about two 
thousand dollars was erected. 

The new building proved inadequate for 
its purpose, and a new district was organized 
in 1868 in the southwestern part of the town. 
A site having been secured on the corner of 
Willow and Eighth streets, a building was 
erected, which, with some additions, served 
its purpose until 1879. In that year the pres- 
ent Park street school was erected at a cost 
of two thousand dollars. In 1881 the two 
school districts were consolidated by act of 
the legislature. The members of the consoli- 
dated board of directors, consisting of the di- 
rectors of the two separate districts, were H. 

E. Johnson, D. M. Jesse, B. L. Sharpstein, 
N. T. Caton, William O'Donnell and F. W. 
Paine. E. B. Whitman was clerk. 

By a vote at a school election of April 29, 
1882, it was decided to levy a tax of seven- 
teen thousand dollars for the purpose of erect- 
ing a brick Innlding upon the block occupied 
by the first public school Innlding. This build- 



178 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



ing was accordingly constructed in 1882, and 
very appropriately, from the name of the donor 
of the land, became known as the Baker school 
building. The elegant Paine school building 
appeared in 1888, tlie College Place public 
school house was added in 1897, and the Sharp- 
stein school building was erected in 1899. 

Amone the citizens of Walla Walla who 
have contributed much of their time and 
thought to the burdensome duties of school 
directors may be found some of the busiest 
and most active men. The names of two 
especial veterans in the service, Paine and 
5harpstein, are fittingly preserved in two of 
Ihe public school buildings. 

District No. i is now organized under the 
new system of cities of the second class. This 
provides for five directors. These five directors 
are at present N. G. Blalock, Frank Dement, 
W. R. Criffield, J. B. Wilson and John Mun- 
.tinga. 

A perusal of the facts given in the preced- 
ing paragraphs will convince any one that the 
public schools of Walla Walla are in a highly 
satisfactory condition. 

WHITMAN COLLEGE. 

^\■e have followed in an earlier chapter the 
thrilling and tragic events which made Waii- 
latpu memorable in the history of this state; 
the Whitman mission, the struggle for posses- 
sion, the planting of industry, the rallying 
place of the slowly incoming American immi- 
gration, the midwinter ride of the hero Whit- 
man, and then the yielding up before Indian 
.tomahawks of those noble lives, the massacre, 
.the war, and then the long period of desolation 
and loneliness. 

During the era of danger the whites, with 
Ihe exception of an occasional daring adven- 



turer, disappeared from the Walla Walla 
country. 

Silence at last rested on the fair valleys 
which had for ten years resounded with sav- 
age warfare. The Cayuses, the Walla Wallas, 
the Umatillas and the Yakimas yielded the 
scepter, and the stars and stripes waved from 
the Pacific to the Bitter Roots. 

As it became safe to venture into the land 
of battle, there came back land-hunters, cattle 
men, miners, explorers and ad\'enturers gen- 
erally, eager to seize some advantage among 
the bountiful resources which had been seen 
by the immigrants of the 'forties and the sol- 
diers of the Indian wars. But among the 
crowd of money-seekers there was at least one 
soul-seeker, and that was Father Eells. 

From the time when in the tragic year of 
1847, he, with the rest of the missionary band, 
had fled from the murderous natives, he had 
cherished the purpose to return. \\'hen twelve 
years had passed the time seemed ripe. In 
1859 Father Eells stood beside the grave at 
Waiilatpu in which the dust of the fourteen 
martyrs was mingled indistinguishably, and as 
he there contemplated the past, with its sad- 
ness and apparent failure, his mind turned to- 
ward the future with its hopefulness and cer- 
tain triumph. He made then a solemn vow 
that he would found a school of higher learn- 
ing for the youth of both sexes, a memorial 
which he was sure his martyred friend Whit- 
man would prefer, if he could speak, to a mon- 
ument of marble. 

In pursuance of his plan Father Eells pur- 
chased the section of land on which the mis- 
sionary tragedy had been enacted and there 
he prepared to erect the building and start 
Whitman Seminary. It soon became evident, 
however, that the town was going to grow 
about the fort, six miles east, and there. Father 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



179 



Eells decided, would be the proper place for 
liis cherished enterprise. Father Eels was en- 
tirely alone in his work, except for the equally 
devoted and faithful efforts of his wife and 
his two sons. They plowed and reaped, cut 
wood, raised chickens, made butter, and de- 
voted the proceeds, aside from that necessary 
to the essentials of life, to accumulating a 
fund for starting the seminary. It was a slow, 
disheartening task, with every external circum- 
stance against them. It is hard to conceive 
of a more pathetic history than that of Father 
Eells and his family, slowly, patiently, saving 
every scrap secured by their wearisome toil, 
in order to give it away for this purely un- 
selfish purpose. 

In about five years they had accumulated 
four thousand dollars, and then the seminary 
was located on ground donated by Dr. D. S. 
Baker. It was two years later, however, be- 
fore the building was completed. That first 
building was dedicated on October 13, 1866, 
Though the few people of Walla Walla did 
not then realize it, that was the greatest event 
in the history of the place up to that time. 

Space is not sutlicient to describe here the 
seminary. It did a sort of work necessary, 
but very trying to teachers, being ungraded, 
irregular, and without support, aside from the 
tuition. During that period Father Eells, Rev. 
P. B. Chamberlain, Professor William Mar- 
iner and Professor W. K. Grim were the chief 
teachers, though there were many others who 
taught for short periods. Among these may 
be named as principals Professor Crawford, 
Mrs. Jennings, Miss Simpson, Professor J. 
W. Brock, Professor Horace Lyman, Professor 
W. D. Lyman, Professor Rogers and Rev. Mr. 
Beach. Of assistants may be named Mr. Sam- 
uel Sweeney, now a well-known business man 
of Walla Walla; Miss Mary Hodgden, Miss 



Sylvester, Miss S. I. Lyman, Horace S. Ly- 
man, i\Iiss Clara Bergold, Mrs. M. A. Gustin, 
Mrs. Beach and \\\ A. Jones. It was a hard 
struggle to keep the life in the institution dur- 
ing that period, but devotion and patience, 
such as has seldom been seen, triumphed, and 
in 1883 the next great step was taken; for in 
that year the seminary was made a college. 
Dr. A. J. Anderson, who had been one of the 
foremost educators of the northwest and had 
been for several years president of the State 
University, was elected to the head of Whit- 
man College, and entered upon his nine years 
of faithful and efficient work. 

In 1883 the main building, now used as 
the conservatory of music, was erected, and 
Father Eells made a journey to the east to 
canvass for funds. He succeeded in raising 
sixteen thousand dollars. During the next 
year Mrs. N. F. Cobleigh, who gave several 
years of most effectix-e service in charge of 
the girls' boarding hall, raised eight thousand 
dollars by canvassing in the east. During the 
presidency of Dr. Anderson there was a con- 
siderable number of graduates, and the col- 
lege took a high stand among the institutions 
of the northwest. A number of the present 
leading men in the city of Walla \ValIa grad- 
uated during that period. But the resources 
of the college were then scanty and its work 
one of trial and hardship for the president 
and faculty. In 1891 Dr. Anderson resigned, 
having accomplished the most that had been 
done up to that time in the work of the insti- 
tution. Then J. F. Eaton was appointed presi- 
dent. The next three years were the severest 
and least satisfactory which had yet occurred 
in the history of Whitman. Owing to unfor- 
tunate policies and management the college 
lost greatly in efficiency and public esteem, 
and the support so fell off that in the summer 



i8o 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



of 1894 it was seriously anticipated by many 
that it woultl never open again. It was saved 
by the devotion and efficiency of several of the 
trustees and faculty and by the election to 
the presidency in 1894 of Rev. S. B. L. Pen- 
rose. President Penrose entered at once with 
tremendous and never-flagging energy upon 
his great task of raising money and placing 
the college upon a solid foundation. Dr. D. 
K. Pearsons, of Chicago, whose philanthropy 
had already wrought wonders for several col- 
leges in the country, became interested in the 
heroic story of Whitman, antl offered fifty 
thousand dollars as an endowment fund, in 
case one hundred and fifty thousand dollars 
were raised besides. Though that was in the 
very blackest part of the "hard times," the 
town of Walla Walla responded nobly, and 
the money was secured. Subsequently Dr. 
Pearsons made the offer of fifty thousand dol- 
lars for a main hall, in case there were twenty- 
five thousand dollars raised for a young men's 
dormitory. This also was mainly secured, 
]\Irs. Billings, of New York, being the largest 
contributor. As a result there arose upon the 
college campus in the eastern part of Walla 
Walla the stately Whitman memorial building, 
the most beautiful structure in this part of the 
state, and Billings hall, a comfortable, con- 
venient and commodious building, capable of 
accommodating seventy or seventy-five per- 
sons. 

During these building years of 1899 and 
1900 there was also a great growth in all other 
departments of the college. A great addi- 
tion was made to the physical and chemical 
appliances. The library was greatly increased, 
having reached on January i, 1901, nearly 
ten thousand volumes. The number of stu- 
dents increased from about fifty in 1894 to 
about two hundred and sixty in 1900. The 



faculty increased during the same period from 
eight to si.xteen. Although the resources of 
the college are yet limited in comparison with 
its needs and the ambitions and hopes of its 
faculty and friends, yet they have increased 
so much beyond any former mark as to place 
Whitman in the front rank of educational in- 
stitutions in the state. 

In connection with Whitman College it is 
fitting to narrate the steps taken to mark the 
grave of Whitman and his associate martyrs. 
As already noted, Father Eells decided that 
Whitman would have preferred a memorial 
school to a monument of marble. And for 
many years it looked as though Walla Walla 
and the state of Washington meant to take him 
at his word, and leave that grave with its sad, 
pathetic, tragic associations unmarked and un- 
noticed. For years the grave was the burrow- 
ing ground of badgers, and the dry west wind 
swept the dust of summer and the snow of 
winter around it, and cattle trampled it, while 
aside from a white picket fence, which was 
soon broken, there was no distinguishing mark 
of the heroic spot. But there were those in 
both Oregon and Washington, as well as else- 
where, who felt that the community's or the 
nation's self-respect required some due com- 
memoration of that grave. In 1897 the mat- 
ter was pushed in earnest by the college fac- 
ulty and by the Historical Society of Oregon, 
with the result that funds were pledged and a 
contract made to erect a worthy memorial on 
the neglected but hallowed ground. Accord- 
ingly, on November 29, 1897, the fiftieth an- 
niversary of the massacre, in the presence of 
a vast throng, the dedication services were 
dul}- performed. The monument consists of 
a beautiful, though plain and stately, granite 
shaft, erected on the hill o\erlooking the grave 
and all the surrounding country. The grave 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



i8r 



itself is marked by a marble crypt in which 
are enclosed such human remains as the exca- 
vation of the gra\'e disclosed. And in con- 
nection with these remains it is of interest to 
remember that among them, being mainly dis- 
ordered and confused, there were several hu- 
man skulls, one of which was pronounced by 
anatomists that of a female, doubtless that of 
Mrs. Whitman, and another was deemed to be 
without question that of Dr. Whitman. It was 
of the right age, and contained a gold-filled 
tooth. It was said by Perrine Whitman, a 
nephew of the doctor, that the latter had such 
a filling, a rare thing in those days. The most 
curious thing about these two skulls was that 
they were both sawed transversely from the 
forehead backward. This was thought by 
some familiar with Indian customs to have 
been done by the savages in order to let the 
"brave" out of the principal martyrs, which 
they thought might enter into the warriors 
and augment their power. 

So, though for long years the chief heroes 
and martyrs of Walla Walla seemed to be for- 
gotten, their recognition came. And though 
their physical substance was the prey to sav- 
ages and wild beasts and the waste of the ele- 
ments, their lives live again in the lives of the 
youth whom they permanently influence. 
Whitman College has become their monument, 
one. more lasting, it is to be hoped, than even 
the granite shaft or marble crypt of the grave. 
In completing this brief sketch of Whit- 
man College it is proper to name here the 
present faculty : Rev. S. B. L. Penrose, presi- 
dent and professor of philosophy; W. D. Ly- 
man, professor of history and civics; Helen 
A. Pepoon, professor of Latin; L. F. Ander- 
son, professor of Greek; B. H. Brown, pro- 
fessor of physics and chemistry; H. S. Brode, 
professor of natural history; O. A. Hauer- 



bach, professor of English literature and ora- 
tory ; W. A. Bratton, professor of mathematics ; 
J. W. Cooper, professor of modern languages; 
Louise R. Loomis, instructor in Greek and 
Latin; W. L. Worthington, instructor in 
Greek and Latin ; S. H. Lovewell, musical di- 
rector; Clarice Winship Colton, instructor in 
voice culture ; Edgar S. Fischer, instructor on 
the violin; Mrs. Crayne, matron of girls' dor- 
mitory; and Mrs. Jacobs, matron of the young 
men's dormitory. With this force and with 
the facilities and resources for work such as 
they are, the prospects of Whitman for the 
opening century are bright indeed. 

SAINT Paul's school. 

The history of Saint Paul's School is 
crowded with struggles and brilliant with suc- 
cess. No educational institution of the north- 
west can show a similar record. Some thirty 
years ago Bishop Wells planned to erect a first- 
class boarding school for girls on a picturesque 
piece of land donated for that purpose. The 
mason began his work. Three thousand dol- 
lars worth of stone was laid into the founda- 
tion of the coming edifice. The citizens of 
Walla Walla had pledged another three thou- 
sand dollars to aid the enterprise. Success 
seemed inevitable. But Tacoma, at that time 
the leading city of the sound, offered large 
inducements if the Walla Walla project would 
be abandoned in favor of a girls' seminary in 
Tacoma. Money proved too great a tempta- 
tion and Walla Walla had to leave its cher- 
ished dream unrealized. 

But the Garden city of the nortlnvest was 
not altogether ready to lose one of its noblest 
features. Dr. Lathrop, then rector of St. 
Paul's church, was a man of faith. He would 
not give up. And while he failed to build the 



l82 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



magnificent edifice, he used to greatest advan- 
tage the old buildings, wliich were soon crowd- 
ed with boarders from the surrounding coun- 
try. At tiiat time Mrs. Appleton made a do- 
nation of three thousand dollars to be used 
as a foundation for an endowment fund. The 
outlook grew brighter, but at the departure 
of Dr. Lathrop, who had been the soul of the 
enterprise, the doors of Saint Paul's had to 
be closed. 

For almost two years the school remained 
inactive. People had lost heart. The uncer- 
tainty of affairs discouraged not only those who 
might consider the principalship, but parents 
would hesitate to send their daughters. If the 
diocese had sold the school property, none 
would have been surprised. But Aliss Imogen 
Boyer, who was herself a graduate of the 
school, fully comprehended the high mission 
of a girls' seminary in this part of the coun- 
try and bravely took hold of the situation. 
Since that time Saint Paul's has gone steadily 
forward. Rev. Andreas Bard advocated the 
sale of the old buildings and the purchase of 
some excellent property on Catherine street. 
This motion was carried and followed by an- 
other which suggested the sale of the original 
school grounds and the erection of first-class 
buildings. The day school doubled the number 
of its attendants; a boarding department was 
added. To-day Saint Paul's is one of the finest 
educational institutions of the northwest. It 
is located on the most beautiful spot in the 
heart of the city, has all modern conveniences 
and offers to the young women of our state 
tlie highest advantages of culture. Among the 
members of its faculty are graduates of Smith 
College, Berkeley and Stanford L^^niversities, 
and the most prominent citizens of Walla Walla 
constitute its board of trustees or give to their 



daughters the advantages of its broad and lib- 
eral culture. 

If Saint Paul's school could find a wealthy 
patron, such as Whitman College found in Dr. 
Pearsons, its work for good could be infinitely 
expanded. The past has been a history of 
struggle and success — a continuous record of 
self-help and self-sacrifice. What the future 
would be with an endowment' fund behind the 
spirit of heroic enterprise, can only be imag- 
ined. But there is reason to think that finan- 
cial aid would place Saint Paul's School on a 
par with the old established institutions of the 
east. Walla Walla is to be congratulated on 
having in its midst such grand educational 
possibilities. 



THE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS. 

The Catholics of Walla Walla, through the 
zealous endeavors of their pastors and their 
own generous co-operation, ha\e, for the last 
thirty-five years, been enabled to procure for 
their children the advantages of a Christian 
education. In 1864 was opened, where St. 
Mary's hospital now stands, by the Very Rev. 
J. B. A. Brouillet, a Catholic school for girls. 
This was conducted by the Sisters of Provi- 
dence. One year later St. Patrick's Academy 
for boys flung wide its portals. This educa- 
tional establishment stood near the present site 
of the Catholic church. The first teacher was 
Mr. H. L. Lamarche. This excellent precep- 
tor presided over the destinies of the academy 
for fifteen years. Among the other teachers 
were Mr. J. J. Donovan, Mr. A. M. Sommers, 
^[iss Tina Johnson and Miss Eliza Sexton. 
Mr. J. J. Donovan organized a company of 
cadets among the pupils. Later a brass band 
was established in connection with the school. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



I S3 



The positions of honor held by former stu- 
dents of the academy and the creditable manner 
in which they have acquitted themselves of 
their responsible duties are convincing evidence 
of the superiority of their moral and intellec- 
tual training. 

A new building had to be erected to ac- 
commodate the ever increasing numbers that 
applied for admission to the academy. Assist- 
ed by the generous contributions of his par- 
ishioners, especially by the magnificent bequest 
of Miss Maria O'Rourke, the Very Rev. M. 
Flohr was enabled to erect the elegant school 
building that stands on Alder street near Sev- 
enth. Right Rev. E. J. O'Dea blessed the edi- 
fice in JNIay, 1899. August 15, 1899, three 
brothers of the Christian schools arrived in 
Walla Walla from San Francisco to manage 
the new school, henceforth to be known as 
De La Salle Institute. It was so named in 
honor of St. J. B. De La 'Salle, founder of 
the congregation of which the brothers are 
members. De La Salle Institute opened Sep- 
tember 4, 1899, with one hundred pupils; the 
second year commenced with one hundred and 
thirty in attendance. 

St. Vincent's Academy is the Catholic 
school for girls. This noble institution was 
founded in 1864 by the sisters of charity from 
Montreal. The little band which undertook 
the arduous task of opening an educational 
establishment in the newly established terri- 
tory was composed of Sisters Columbay, Paul 
Miki and Nativity, whose names are held in 
veneration by all who had the happiness of 
knowing them. IMany and great were the 
difficulties to be overcome in the new and un- 
civilized country, in which resources are few 
and customs and manners strange. But the 
zealous laborers, aided by their devoted pas- 
tors, Vicar General Brouillet, Father DufYy, 



Father Flohr and kind friends, struggled on. 
With years the work grew, and now many of 
the rei)resentative women of the northwest 
prove their gratitude to their alma mater by 
lives of highest Christian purpose; they found 
that St. Vincent's bad been for them an inspi- 
ration. 

The present building, erected in 1879-80, 
is pronounced by all who visit it to be one of 
the finest structures in the state. It is spacious, 
well ventilated, convenient, and furnished with 
all mudern improvements. The extensive 
grounds surrounding the institution offer every 
inducement to the young ladies to engage in 
healthful exercise. 

The plan of instruction is systematic and 
thorough, embracing all that could be desired 
for the highest culture. Besides the graduat- 
ing department, a special course meets the 
wants of the young ladies who, not wishing 
to go through the course of graduation, are 
an.xious to obtain a good practical education. 

Every facility is afforded for attaining pro- 
ficiency in vocal and instrumental music. 
Stenography and typewriting are specialties. 
Plain and fancy needle work are taught free 
of charge. 

Two hundred and fifty day pupils and 
thirty-six boarders have been enrolled since 
September i, 1900. Nine sisters are teaching. 

Parents and guardians wishing to secure 
for young ladies the benefits of a solid and re- 
fined education, with maternal supervision over 
their health, morals and manners, will have no 
reason to regret their choice of St. Vincent's 
Academy. 

WALLA WALLA COLLEGE. 

This institution is the center of a flourish- 
ing community, the college itself owning one 



1 84 



HISTORY OF WALIA WALLA COUNTY. 



hundred acres of the town-site of College 
Place. It was founded in 1892, and has gained 
a reputable place among the educational insti- 
tutions of the west. It is the only college of 
its kind in the northwest : and that it is rightly 
located, is demonstrated by its liberal patron- 
age, which has been enjoyed since its opening 
nine years ago. 

It is owned and operated by the Seventh- 
Day Adventists. and though denominational in 
character, its doors are open to all young peo- 
ple of good moral character. On account of 
its high standard of morality, its Christian 
faculty, its atmosphere of culture and refine- 
n;ent, its full and complete curriculum, it is 
certainly a safe place for parents to send their 
children, as well as an institution where a lib- 
eral education can be received. 

The building is a substantial brick struc- 
ture, four stories in height, of modern design 
and architecture. Two brick dormitories are 
connected with the main building where non- 
resident students reside. These buildings are 
surroiuided by a beautiful campus, and the 
whole by orchards and gardens which appear 
on e\ery side. Spring water of the best cjuality 
is supplied to the building and also for irriga- 
tion purposes in the college garden, consisting 
of several acres. 

As the managers aim to make the college a 
place where young people of limited means may 
get their education, they have spared no pains 
to reduce all necessary expenses to a minimum. 
In fact the industrious student, by a wise use of 
his vacation and the assistance of the college, 
is enabled to meet his own expenses. The man- 
agers have learned that the self-sustaining stu- 
dents are its best. 

Walla Walla College is so located that it is 
the most conspicuous building in the Walla 
AN'alla vallev, and in it a tliriving city has 



grown up with the college, known as College 
Place. It has two merchandise stores, which 
do considerable business with the farmers for 
several miles around. The college has become 
to be closely associated with the economic in- 
stitutions of the community in which it is lo- 
cated. 

But \\^alla \\'alla College has a far more 
important influence. The world needs educated 
men and women, who are truly educated. True 
education is the power of doing. Every faculty 
of the being is to be educated and trained 
for usefulness. One writer has truthfully de- 
fined education as the "harmonious develop- 
ment of all our powers, both physical, mental, 
and moral." Such an education will expand 
and define. Witln ait it, the individual is more 
or less crippled. Correct education makes the 
essential difference in mental capacity, char- 
acter and destiny between the simple child of 
nature and the man of giant intellect. 

Board of Managers — G. \\'. Reaser, H. W. 
Decker, T. H. Starbuck, Greenville Holbrook, 
T. L. Ragsdale, S. A. Miller and G. A. Nichols. 
Officers — President, G. ^^^ Reaser; Secretary, 
T. H. Starbuck: Treasurer. G. A. Nichols. 
Faculty — E. L. Stewart. President ; J. A. Hol- 
brook, Ministerial Department ; Bible, I. A. 
Dunlap, M. D., Medical Missionary; Nursing, 
T. H. Starbuck, General Bible Language; 
Higher Mathematics. J. L. Kay. Preceptor, 
Mathematics, Language ; Francis Ireland. Nor- 
mal Department. English Language ; Luther J. 
Hughes. Science Department ; H. E. Hoyt, 
Commercial Department; Mrs. Helen C. Con- 
rad, Preceptress, Bible and History; George 
W. ^liller. Superintendent Music Department; 
Mrs. Emma Nichols, Art and Preparatory De- 
partment; Laura L. Fisk, Assistant Prepara- 
tory Department, Stenography; Mrs, Emma 
E. Cracker, Matron ; George Nichols, business 



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HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



185 



manager; Verah McPherson, Accountant; Rose 
Gintlier, Secretary; Church School Depart- 
ment, Mrs. J. L. Kay. Tliere arc two hundred 
students in attendance at tlie i)resent time. 

BUSINESS COLLEGE. 

\\'alla Walla has had also for a number of 
years a flourishing business college. It was 
founded in 1887, by A. M. and J. L. Cation 
and J. R. Stubblefield. After conducting this 
with great success for four years, the projectors 
sold out in 1891 to Merwin Pugh. He con- 
ducted the school for another period of four 
years, and in 1895 J. W. Brewer became the 
owner and manager. In spite of the crippling 
effects of the hard times, the college was in the 
main well patronized through all those years. 

WAITSBURG ACADEMY. 

The founding of the Waitsljurg Academy 
is a simple story, inseparaljly connected with 
the establishing of the L^nited Presbyterian 
cliurch of North America in eastern \\'ashing- 
ton. 

Early in the 'eighties there was an active 
movement among all the religious bodies of 
the eastern states for the evangelization of 
Washington territorv. Rumors of vast re- 
sources, and genial clime had made a deep im- 
pression on the popular mind. It was felt by 
all religious denominations that this \-ast, pros- 
jjective state must be saved for Christ and the 
church — a work too heavy for the colonists 
alone, hence needing the support of friends 
everywhere, in order that necessary church and 
school buildings might be erected and pastors 
and teachers adequately supiilicd. 

In response to the general call for mission- 
ary and educational work in the region, the 



United Presbyterian church in the fall of 1884 
sent out the Rev. Joseph Alter as general mis- 
sionary to eastern Washington. He was suc- 
cessful in organizing church work in different 
locations, one of which was Waitsburg. Here 
he established a congregation, now known as 
the United Presbyterian church, Waitsburg. 
To this congregation the Rev. W. G. M. Hays, 
now Dr. Hays of the United Presbyterian 
church at Pullman, Washington, was sent in 
the early spring of 1886, by appointment of the 
Home Mission Board of the church. During 
the first months of Dr. Hays in this field, the 
con\-iction was forced upon him, that Waits- 
burg needed a high grade Christian school of 
secondary instruction — not a college; but a 
school distinctively Christian in methods, aims, 
and discipline, and of such a grade as would 
afford suitable training for tlie ordinary walks 
in life, or fit students for advanced work in 
colleges. 

Dr. Hays lent himself to this work. From 
a short historical article written by himself we 
copy the following: 

"We counseled with friends ; some shook the 
liead doubtfully, others of a more sanguine 
temperament said that they would like to see 
il tried, for they believed that such a school, 
properly managed, would succeed. We re- 
solved to put the matter to a practical test and 
laid our plans accordingly." 

The plans were well laid, the Board of Edu- 
cation of the church, upon request, made an 
appropriation of six hundred dollars for the 
first year, and sent Professor J. G. Thompson, 
A. B., to take charge of the work. The business 
men of the city guaranteed two hundred dollars 
to be paid in case of need. With this for a 
basis, and without any formal organization of 
either Board of Directors or Trustees, the 
Waitsburg Academy opened its doors to the 



1 86 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



public, September 14, 1886, the first year's ses- 
sion being held in the church building. 

Success attended the effort. The presby- 
tery of Oregon adopted the infant, and later it 
was taken under the care of the synod of the 
Columbia of the United Presbyterian church 
of North America; and at length became a 
corporate body under the laws of the terri- 
tory of \^'ashington. The incorporators were, 
the Revs. Hugh F. Wallace, W. G. Irvine, W. 
A. Spalding, \\\ G. M. Hays, J. H. Niblock, 
and Messrs. A. W. Philips, David Roberts, 
Edward F. Sox, T. J. Hollowell, and John E. 
Evans. 

In May, 1887, a joint stock company was 
organized whose object is expressed in the fol- 
lowing preamble to its constitution : 

"We, citizens of Waitsburg and vicinity, 
do hereby form ourselves into a joint stock 
company for the purpose of erecting an acad- 
emy building, assisting in the maintenance of 
the school for three years, beginning September 
I, 1887; and effecting an organization with the 
United Presbyterian church of North America 
for the permanent establishment of said acad- 
emy." 

This company raised nearly six thousand 
dollars, four thousand dollars of which was 
used in the erection of a frame building, and the 
remainder going for the support of the school, 
during the three following years. 

Dr. Hays undertook to raise an endowment 
fund equivalent to the amount raised by the 
citizens for the erection of a building, and, as 
the result of a visit to the east, he succeeded 
in raising two thousand dollars. In the fall 
of 18S9 the Rev. W. R. Stevenson at the in- 
stance of the presbytery of Oregon was sent 
east and succeeded in raising the endowment 
to four thousand dollars. In the spring of 
1892, iliss Ina F. Robertson, then principal of 



tiie academy, went east and raised the remain- 
ing one thousand dollars, together with six hun- 
dred dollars for the improvement of the build- 
ing. In 1894, Miss Robertson again went east 
and succeeded in raising the funds necessary 
for the erection of a new building. This build- 
ing is of brick, very commodious, and suitable 
for the work of the school. Its erection was 
completed before the end of 1896. 

The work done by the academy is grouped 
under the following heads or courses : Acad- 
emic, normal, business, preparatory and music. 
Each of these courses is complete in itself and 
eminently practical. The time required for 
completing any of these courses varies from 
two to four years, depending upon the course, 
the previous schooling, and natural ability of 
the student. The academic is the highest 
course, and upon completion of this course the 
graduate receives a diploma. 

The first class to graduate from the aca- 
demic department was the class of 1890, con- 
sisting of Misses Mary A. Dixon, Anna Flinn, 
Emma McKinney, and Mr. Robert Jones. 
Since that time there have been graduated from 
this course, including the class of 1901, a total 
of thirty-two. This does not include graduates 
from the other departments. The graduates 
are found in all the principal walks of life — 
business, medicine, law, teaching, the army and 
the ministry — many of them having completed 
a course at some higher or more technical 
school. 

The following is a list of the principals with 
their respective terms of service: J. Given 
Thompson, A. B., 1886-89: T.M. :\IcKinney,A. 
B., 1889-90; W. G. M. Hays, A. M., 1890-91 ; 
Ina F. Robertson, B. S., 1891-94. Rev. J. A. 
Keener has been principal since 1894. 

The academy looks forward \\ith hope into 
the future. It now has an offer of ten thousand 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUxNTY. 



187 



dollars for endowment and five thousand dol- 
lars for a dormitory, provided it raises five thou- 
sand dollars. An effort will be made during 
the year to complete this amount. With the 
increased facilities which will come from the 
possession of this much needed money the 
faculty will make such a school as was con- 
templated by the founders, and ab3ve all such a 
school as will, by its influence, help mightily 
in bringing in the kingdom of the Master. 

This sketch must not close without men- 
tioning the names of the friends in the east 
who have so generously assisted in the work 
here. These are : 'Sir. James Law, of Shushan, 



New York, and his sister, Miss ilary Law. 
Mr. Law has lately gone to his reward, but his 
sister still continues to be the good angel of the 
school, for to her generosity is due the afore 
m.entioned offer of money to the endowment 
fund. Neither must we close without recall- 
ing to the mind of the reader that to the energy, 
enthusiasm and faith of Dr. Hays and Miss 
Ina L. Robertson, generously assisted by the 
citizens of Waitsburg, is due all that the acad- 
emy has accomplished as an institution for the 
bettering of mankind. May it long live to ful- 
fill its mission. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



EARLIER HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA CITY 1 862- 1 883. 



Li the preceding pages of this work we 
have been considering Walla Walla county as 
a whole. We shall now present matter belong- 
ing more exclusively to the city. The civic life 
of the town has, to an unusual degree, con- 
trolled the life of the county. With the excep- 
tion of Waitsburg, no town of much size has 
risen in the county. At the present time the 
population of the county, as shown by the 
United States census of 1900, is 18,630. That 
of the city is 10,049. Many of the farmers 
having interests in various portions of the 
county live in the city. The business of the 
county has, therefore, to a greater degree than 
in most of our agricultural counties, gathered 
at the city. Reference has been made at vari- 
ous points in previous pages to the first estab- 
lishment of settlements in what is now the city. 
We have not, however, given the consecutive 



story of the founding and incorporation of the 
town, and this we will here undertake to out- 
line. 

Fort ^^'alla Walla was established in its 
present location in 1857. The first business of 
the region grew up in connection with supply- 
ing goods and produce to the post. William 
McWhirk was the first trader in the place. He 
came here in the spring of 1857 and set up a 
tent for a store near the present corner of Main 
and Second streets. During the fall of 1S57 
Charles Bellman set up another tent store near 
the present Jack Daniels saloon. There seems 
to be some difference of opinion as to who put 
up the first actual building. It is affirmed by 
some that William McWhirk erected a cabin 
on the north side of what is now Main street 
and Second, in the summer of 1857. In the 
fall of 'S7 Charles Bellman put uf) a structure 



i88 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



of poles and mud a little farther to the east, 
near Ludwig's grocery store of the present. In. 
April of the next year, Louis McMorris put up 
a slab and shake structure for Neil McGlinchey, 
on the southwest corner of Main street near the 
present corner of Third. In the fall of 185c 
also various rude structures, some for residence 
and some for saloons, wer^e put up by James 
Galbreath, W. A, Ball. Harry Howard, IMich- 
ael Kinney, William Terry, Mahan & Harcum, 
James Buckley, and Thomas Riley. The 
first building that contained a floor, doors and 
glass windows stood on what is now the north- 
west corner of Main and Third streets. This 
was built by R. Guichard and William Kohl- 
hauff, and the location is still owned by the 
heirs of Mr. Guichard. 

There were two rival sites for the budding 
town. One was the point on the creek started 
by Mc\Miirk. McGlinchey and Bellman, the 
other was at the cabin built by Harry Howard 
half way between Mill creek and the fort and 
known as the Halfway House. Different opin- 
ions arose as to the proper name for the town. 
It was first called Steptoeville, then Waiilatpu. 
The first step toward a definite christening of 
the town was a petition to the county com- 
missioners asking that a town be laid out to be 
known by the name of Waiilatpu. This peti- 
tion was signed l)y the following names'. 
Charles H. Case, W. A. Ball, B. F. Stone, Jo- 
seph Hellmuth, E. B.Whitman, J. Foresythe. F. 
L. Worden, Baldwin & Bro., D. D. Baldwin, 
John M. Silcott, Francis Pierrie, R. H. Regart, 
I. T. Reese. P. J. Boltie, Dr. Tho.s. Wolf, Dr. 
D. S. Baker, N. B. Dutro, X. Eastman. A. G. 
P. Wardle. Neil McGlinchey, James Buckley. 
Frank Stone, Robert Oldham, Chas. Albright, 
William Stephens, R. G. ]Mofifit, D. D. Bran- 
nan, Pat 2^1arkey, R. Warmack, John M. Can- 



nady, William M. Elray, J. Clark. John May, 
James McAuliff, A. D. Pambrun. 

A protest was filed, asking that the name 
of Walla Walla be given to the place and to 
this the following names were attached : Sam- 
uel F. Legart, H. H. Hill, S. T. Moffit, John 
Cain, F. M. Archer, R. Powel, Louis A. Mul- 
lan. William B. Kelly. 

The protest prevailed and the commission- 
ers, on the 17th of November, 1859, fixed the 
name of Walla Walla and laid out the town 
with the following boundaries : Commencing 
in the center of Main street at Mill creek, thence 
running north four hundred and forty yards 
(440). thence running west one half mile to a 
stake, thence running south four hundred and 
forty yards to a stake, thence running east one 
half mile to a stake, thence running nortli to the 
place of commencement : eighty acres in all. 

Tlie town government was organized, by 
the appointment of a recorder, I. T. Reese, and 
three trustees, F. C. Worden, Samuel Baldwin, 
and Neil McGlinchey. The town was surveyed 
by C. H. Case, providing streets eighty feet 
wide running north and south, and one hundred 
feet wide running east and west. The lots were 
laid out with a sixty-foot front and a depth of 
one hundred and twenty feet. They were to 
be sold for five dollars each with the addition 
of one dollar for recording, and no one person 
could Iniy more than two of them. Ten acres 
also were set aside for a town square and the 
erection of public buildings, but this was re- 
duced to one acre. 

The first lots sold w ere those taken by I. T. 
Reese and Edward Evarts, both in block 13, the 
sale being recorded November 30. 1859. On De- 
cember 22, of the same year, one hundred and 
fifty acres of land was sur\-eyed into town prop- 
ertv for Thomas Wolf and L. C. Kinnev, the 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



189 



farmer soon selling his interest to the lat- 
ter. 

The original plat of the town is not now in 
existence, having been destroyed, probably by 
the fire of 1S65. The earliest survey on record 
is a plat made in October, 1861, by W. W. 
Johnson, which purports to be a correction of 
the work of C. H. Case. 

On November 5, 1861, the board declared 
the survey made liy W. W. Johnson to be offi- 
cial, and W. A. George was employed as an 
attorney to secure for the county a prcyemption 
title to the land on which Walla Walla was 
built. \\'. \\'. Johnson was appointed to take 
steps to secure the title at the Vancouver land 
office, but he did not do so, and thus the effort 
of the county to secure the site failed. This 
ended what might be called the embryonic stage 
in the municipal life of Walla Walla, and we 
find the next stage to be actual incorporation. 

The city of Walla Walla was originally in- 
corporated by an act of the territorial legisla- 
ture, passed (jn the i ith of January, 1862. By 
the provisions of said act the city embraced 
within its limits the south half of the south- 
west quarter of section 20, township 7 north, 
range 36, east, of the Willamette meridian. The 
charter made provision also for the election, 
on the first Tuesday in April, of each year, of 
a mayor, recorder, five councilmen, marshal, 
assessor, treasurer and surveyor, all vacancies, 
save in the offices of mayor and recorder, to 
be filled by appointment by the council, which 
was also given the power of appointing a clerk 
and city attorney. No salary was to attach to 
the offices of mayor or councilman until the 
population of the city had reached one thou- 
sand individuals, when the stipend awarded 
these officers was to be fixed by an ordinance 
enacted by the council. The charter designated 
the following officers to serve until the first reg- 



ular election under said charter : Alayor, B. P. 
Standeferd; recorder, James Galbreath; coun- 
cilmen, H. C. Coulson, B. F. Stone, E. B. Whit- 
man, D. S. Baker, and M. Schwabacher; mar- 
slial, George H. Porter. The council assembled 
on the 1st of March to perfect its organization, 
when it developed that Mr. Schwabacher was 
ineligible for office, as was also Mr. Coulson, 
who proved to be a non-resident. Mr. Stone 
presiding, the council proceeded to fill the two 
vacancies by balloting, and James McAuliff and 
George E. Cole thus became members of the 
council, S. F. Ledyard being appointed clerk. 
The council again met, pursuant to adjourn- 
ment, on the 4th of the same month, when Mr. 
Cole was chosen chairman ; Edward Nugent, 
city attorney; and Messrs. McAuliff, Whitman 
and Stone were appointed to prepare a code of 
rules for the government of the council. 

Four hundred and twenty-two votes were 
cast at the first election, held April i, 1862, 
the following being the result : Mayor, E. B. 
Whitman ; councilmen, J. F. Abbott, R. Jacobs, 
I T. Reese, B. F. Stone and B. Sheideman; 
recorder, W. P. Horton; marshal, George H. 
Porter; attorney, Edward Nugent; assessor, 
L. W. Greenwell; treasurer, E. E. Kelly; sur- 
veyor, A. L Chapman ; clerk, S. F. Ledyard. 
On the nth of April, W. Phillips was ap- 
pointed councilman in place of J. F. Abbott, 
while in the succeeding year it appears that J. 
Hellmuth had been appointed in place of B. F. 
Stone. The recorder resigned in January, 
1863, his successor, J. W. Barry, being chosen 
at a special election held on the last day of that 
month. H. B. Lane succeeded Mr. Greenwall 
as assessor; on the i rth of April, 1862, Henry 
Howard was appointed treasurer, and W. W. 
DeLacy, surveyor, while in January, 1863, H. 
B. Lane was noted as clerk. The city re\enue 
for the first six months aggregated $4,283.25, 



I go 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



of which sum Hquor and gaming licenses con- 
tributed $1,875. ^^'l^en it is remembered that 
this was at the height of the gold excitement, 
this last item may be well understood. 

During the last quarter of the year the 
revenue of the new city was $2,714.19, but so 
large were the expenditures -that the opening 
of the year 1863 found in the treasury a balance 
of less than five dollars. The value of property 
ill the city was assessed in 1862 at three hun- 
dred thousand dollars, the succeeding year wit- 
nessing the increase of the same to five hun- 
dred thousand dollars. 

The vote at the election of 1863 was light, 
there being but one ticket in the field. The 
following ofiicers were elected for the next 
fiscal year: Mayor, J. S. Craig; councilmen, 
R. Guichard, A. Kyger, E. E. Kelly, W. J. 
Terry (who was succeeded by A. J. Thibodo, 
appointed in November), and G. Linkton; re- 
corder, E. L. Massy (who resigned, his suc- 
cessor, W. P. Horton, being chosen at a special 
election, held November 21); marshal, A. 
Seitel; assessor, H. B. Lane; treasurer, J. W. 
Cady ; surveyor, W. W. JoTinson. The council 
appointed E. L. Bridges city attorney, and H. 
B. Lane city clerk, the latter being later suc- 
ceeded by A. L. Brown. 

Again in 1864 but one ticket was in evi- 
dence at the municipal election, the result of 
which was as follows : Mayor, Otis L. Bridges ; 
■councilmen, George Thomas, Dr. A. J. Thi- 
bodo, J. F. Abbott, George McCully and P. 
M. Lynch; recorder, W. P. Horton; marshal, 
A. Seitel; assessor, A. L. Brown; treasurer, 
J. W. Cady; surveyor, W. W. Johnson. A. 
L. Brown received the appointment as city 
clerk. At the close of the municipal year the 
city was free from indebtedness. 

The election of April 4, 1865, developed 
somewhat of a contest on the offices of recorder 



and marshal, there being two candidates for 
the former and three for the latter, while there 
was only one for each of the other offices. The 
officials elected were as follows : Mayor, George 
Thomas; councilmen, Fred Stine, S. G. Rees 
(who resigned and was succeeded by John 
Dovell, in February, 1866), William Kohl- 
hauff, W. A. Ball and E. H. IMassam, the last 
two mentioned being later succeeded by O. P. 
Lacy and B. Sheideman ; recorder, S. B. Fargo ; 
marshal, E. Ryan ; assessor, A. L. Brown ; 
treasurer. H. E. Johnson; surveyor, W. W. 
Johnson; clerk (appointed), A. L. Brown. 

The end of the fiscal year showed a balance 
of $93.10 in the city treasury, a small amount 
in comparison with the revenue for the year, 
which had reached the very considerable total 
of $15,135.13, more than half of which had 
been derived from licenses. It is to be recalled, 
however, that the sources from which emanated 
these license fees were of such order as to en- 
courage lawlessness and great resulting expense 
to the city through its police and jail depart- 
ments and the administration of justice. 

The municipal election of April 2, 1866, 
gave the following results, there being at this 
time three candidates- for the mayoralty: 
ilayor, E. B. Whitman; councilmen. Colonel 
P. ^^'insett, J. J. Ryan, J. W. McKee, George 
Baggs and Fred Stine; recorder, W. P. Hor- 
ton; marshal, \\'. J. Tompkins; assessor, O. 
P. Lacy; treasurer, H. E. Johnson; clerk (by 
appointment), I. L. Roberts. The personnel 
o^' this official list had changed radically before 
the close of the fiscal year. Councilman Ryan 
was killed and was succeeded by B. N. Sexton, 
whose death occurred shortly after his appoint- 
ment, whereupon J. D. Cook was chosen to fill 
the vacancy. Councilman McKee resigned and 
was succeeded by William Phillips ; B. F. Stone 
was chosen the successor of Councilman Baggs, 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



191 



in February, 1867; Mr. Stine resigned in the 
latter part of 1866, being succeeded by R- 
Guichard: while in September of that year H. 
M. Chase succeeded to the office of clerk. 

Owing to the fact that the city had been 
steadily increasing its indebtedness for the past 
two years, there came a demand for retrench- 
ment, and the election of 1867, therefore, 
aroused more interest among the voters than 
had any previous one. In 1867 the municipal 
debt had reached nearly five thousand dollars, 
the receipts for the fiscal year 1866-7 having 
been $19,137.90, of which amount somewhat 
more than eight thousand dollars had been ex- 
pended in street improvements and about 
thirty-two hundred in police services. A larger 
vote than usual was polled by reason of the 
issue mentioned, and the following officers were 
elected : Mayor, James McAuliff ; councilmen, 
C. P. Winsett, William Kohlhauff, N. Brown, 
I. T. Reese and J. F. Abbott; recorder, O. P. 
Lacy; marshal, E. Delaney; assessor, M. Leidy; 
treasurer, H. E. Johnson ; surveyor, W. L. Gas- 
ton; city clerk (appointed), H. M. Chase. 
The office of city attorney had been temporarily 
abolished in 1863, but in January, 186S, Frank 
P. Dugan was appointed to this office by the 
council. 

The election of 1868 was held in July, in 
accordance with the provisions made in a re- 
vision of the charter, wdiich also made the re- 
corder ex-officio clerk and provided other 
nfinor changes in the conduct of the municipal 
affairs. The election was held on the 6th of 
July, the result being as follows : Mayor, 
James McAuliff; councilmen, A. Kyger, J. F. 
Abbott, Fred Stine, William Kohlhauff and II. 
Howard ; recorder and clerk, L. Day ; marshal, 
E. Delaney; assessor, C. Leidy; treasurer, H. 
M. Chase; surveyor, Charles Frush. 

The debt of the city still continued to in- 



crease, having nearly doubled at the close of the 
year ending June 30, 1869, the receipts for 
licenses having been reduced fully one-half, 
while taxes returned a revenue of slightly less 
than two thousand dollars. The expenditures 
of the year, though undoubtedly wisely made, 
largely exceeded the receipts. The election of 
July 12, 1869, gave the following results: 
Mayor, Frank Stone; councilmen, James 
Jones, W. S. Mineer, Thomas Tierney, P. M. 
Lynch and Thomas Quinn ; recorder and clerk, 
O. P. Lacy; marshal, Ed. Delaney; attorney 
(appointed), Frank P. Dugan; assessor, J. E. 
Bourn; treasurer, H. E. Johnson; surveyor, 
A. H. Simons. 

The result of the election held on the nth 
of July, 1870, was as follows: Mayor, Dr. 
E. Shell; councilmen, J. F. Abbott, N. T. 
Caton, H. M. Chase, William Kohlhauff and 
G. P. Foor; recorder and clerk, W. P. Hor- 
ton; marshal, E. Delaney; assessor, James 
Rittenhouse; treasurer, H. E. Johnson; sur- 
veyor, A. H. Simons. 

At the city election of July 10, 1871, the 
following officers were elected : Mayor, E. B. 
Whitman ; councilmen, R. Jacobs, P. M. Lynch, 
N. T. Caton, G. P. Foor and F. Orselli; re- 
corder and clerk, W. P. Horton; marshal, E. 
Delaney; assessor, M. W. Davis; treasurer, H. 
E. Johnson ; surveyor, A. L. Knowlton. F. P. 
Dugan was appointed city attorney by the 
council. 

The election of July 8, 1872, was somewhat 
more spirited, there being contests for all of- 
fices save those of mayor, treasurer and sur- 
veyor, to which positions each of the former 
incumbents was re-elected. Other successful 
candidates were as follows : Councilmen, Sig. 
Schwabacher, M. C. Moore, N. T. Caton, J. 
H. Foster and John Stahl ; recorder and clerk, 
O. P. Lacy; marshal, John G. Justice; attorney 



192 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



(appointed), Thomas H. Brents; assessor, M. 
W. Davis ; treasnrer, H. E. Johnson ; surveyor, 
A. L. Knowlton. 

At the opening of the fiscal year in 1872 the 
indebtedness of the city was nearly eleven thou- 
sand dollars, but this disconcerting total was by 
timely and far-sighted economy reduced to con- 
siderably less than one-half within the year 
mentioned. The receipts had been $24,995.70, 
and the assessment valuation of property, near- 
ly equaly divided between real and personal, in 
the spring of 1873 amounted to $988,682.00. 
Though the election of July 14, 1873, was one 
of lively contest, except for the offices of sur- 
veyor and treasurer, it resulted in the re-elec- 
tion of nearly all the ofificers incumbent the pre- 
ceding year, the result being noted as follows : 
Mayor, E. B. Whitman; councilmen, N. T. 
Caton, William Neal, J. H. Foster, J. N. Fall 
and M. C. Moore; recorder and clerk, J. D. 
Laman; marshal, J. G. Justice; attorney (ap- 
pointed), Ed. C. Ross; assessor, M. W. Davis; 
treasurer. H. E. Johnson; surveyor, A. L. 
Knowlton. The treasurer resigned in April, 
1874, F. Kimmerly being appointed to fill the 
vacancv. Under the council thus elected the 
city debt was again materially reduced, being 
only $2,243.07 at the end of the fiscal year. 
By a.change in the charter the city was divided 
into four wards, each of which was given one 
representative in the council, while the offices 
of clerk and recorder were again segregated 
and the council was emiwwered to appoint a 
clerk, who should also, by virtue of his office, 
serve as auditor. 

The city election of July 13, 1874, brought 
about a complete change in the official person- 
nel, with the exception of the marshal, who was 
re-elected without opposition. The result of 
the election was as follows: Mayor, James 
McAuliff: councilmen. first ward. F. P. .Vllen; 



second ward, Z. K. Straight : third ward, Will- 
iam Kohlhauff; fourth ward, Ed. C. Ross; re- 
corder, O. P. Lacy; marshal, J. G. Justice; at- 
torney (appointed), W. A. George; assessor, 
James B. Thompson; treasurer, C. T. Thomp- 
son; surveyor, P. Zahner; clerk and auditor, 
C. E. Whitney. 

The election of July 12, 1875, resulted as 
follows: Mayor, James McAuliff; councilmen, 
first ward, O. P. Lacy; second ward, D. C. 
Belshee; third ward, William Kohlhauff; 
fourth ward, Ed. C. Ross (resigned in spring 
of following year, A. H. Reynolds being ap- 
pointed his successor) ; recorder, J. D. Laman; 
marshal, J. G. Justice; attorney (appointed), 
W. A. George; assessor, S. Jacobs; treasurer, 
F. Kimmerly; surveyor, P. Zahner; clerk (ap- 
pointed), C. E. Whitney. 

The result of the election of July 10, 1876, 
was as follows, the changes being few in num- 
ber: Mayor, James McAulifif; councilmen, 
first ward, O. P. Lacy; second ward, G. P. 
Foor; third ward, William Kohlhaufif; fourth 
ward, .\. H. Reynolds; marshal, J. G. Justice; 
attorney (appointed), W. A. George; assessor, 
S. Jacobs; treasurer, H. E. Holmes; surveyor, 
P. Zahner: clerk, C. E. Whitney (appointed). 
The office of recorder had been abolished and 
the duties of the office relegated to a justice of 
the peace. 

Result of tlie election of 1877: Mayor, 'SI. 
C. ]\Ioore ; councilmen, first ward, \\'. P. 
Winans ; second ward, \\'. P. .Adams ; third 
ward, J. A. Taylor ; fourth ward, A. H. Rey- 
nolds; marshal, J. G. Justice; attorney (ap- 
pointed), ^\^ .\. George; assessor, Samuel 
Jacobs ; treasurer, H. E. Holmes ; surveyor, P. 
Zahner; clerk (appointed), C. E. Whitney. 

The city council calle<l a special election 
for June 7. 1878, to decide upon tiie question 
of rejecting the old city charter and reorganiz- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



195 



ing under the provisions of an act entitled "An 
act to provide for the incorporation of cities," 
which had been passed by the territorial legis- 
lature the preceding year. By the provisions of 
the new law the council would be composed of 
seven members beside the mayor, while in- 
creased governmental powers would be given 
to the body, including permission to extend the 
city credit to the amount of fifteen thousand 
dollars, and no more, and to appoint all minor 
officers except marshal. One hundred and six- 
ty-three votes were cast in favor of the measure 
arid one hundred and twenty-one against. The 
regular city election of July 8. 1878, ga\-e the 
following results, under the new law : Mayor, 
James McAuliff; councilmen, first ward. Fred 
Stine and W. P. Winans ; second ward, F. W. 
Paine and Z. K. Straight; third ward, John 
Taylor and William Kohlhaufi" ; fourth ward, 
M. F. Colt ; marshal, J. G. Justice. Officers 
appointed by the council were : Justice of the 
peace, J. D. Laman; attorney, J. D. Mix; as- 
sessor, Samuel Jacobs ; treasurer, H. E. 
Holmes; surveyor, P. Zahner; clerk, C. E. 
Whitney; street commissioner, J. E. Berry- 
man; health officer. Dr. J. M. Boyd. 

For the sake of convenience and the con- 
servation of space, the appointed officers will 
in the following lists be incorporated directly 
with the elective, without special reference 
thereto. 

Prior to the annual city election of 1879 
the city had lieen divided into three wards, in- 
stead of four, each of the first two wards being 
given two councilmen and three to the third, 
while four of the incumbents were elected to 
serve one year and three for two years. .Xnotlicr 
change in this regard was made by ordinance 
in 18S4, and the same is reproduced in a suc- 
ceeding chapter, which has to do with the char- 
ter under which the city is operating at the 

13 



time of this writing. The explanation is made 
so that the results of the elections may be un- 
derstood as recorded. 

City officers elected or appointed at the an- 
nual election held July 14, 1879: Mayor, 
James McAulifif; councilmen, first ward, A. S. 
Legrow and H. M. Chase ; second ward, J. M. 
Welsh and A. Jacobs ; third ward, William 
Kohlhaufif, William Harkness (succeeded by 
William Kirkman July 6, 1880) and George 
T. Thomas ; marshal, John McNeil ; justice of 
the peace, E. B. Whitman ; attorney, J. D. Mix; 
assessor, Samuel Jacobs ; treasurer, H. E. 
Holmes; surveyor, H. D. Chapman; clerk, C. 
E. Whitney ; street commissioner, J. B. Brooks ; 
health officer, J. E. Bingham. 

The election of July 12, 1880, called out 
the largest vote that had ever thus far been 
cast in the city, the contest being principally 
on the office of marshal. The result was as 
follows : Mayor, James McAuliff ; councilmen, 
first ward, L. Ankeny ; second ward, R. Jacobs ; 
third ward, William Kohlhauff and John 
Dovell ; marshal, J. G. Justice; justice of the 
peace, O. P. Lacy; attorney. J. T. Anders (re- 
signed in October, 1880, W. G. Langford suc- 
ceeding him) ; assessor, Samuel Jacobs; treas- 
urer, H. E. Holmes ; surveyor, H. D. Chap- 
man; clerk, J. L. Sharpstein (resigned Feb- 
ruary I, 1 88 1, Le F. A. Shaw being appointed 
to the vacancy) ; street commissioner, J. B. 
Brooks; health officer, J. E. Bingham. 

At the electiim held July 11, 1881, the 
question of creating a municipal system of 
water-works was submitted to the people, the 
result being an adverse majority of sixty-five. 
The officers chosen were as follows : Mayor, 
James McAuliff; councilman, first ward, Will- 
iam Glassford; second ward, Ed. Baumeister; 
tl.ird ward, .'\. H. Reynolds; marshal, J. G. 
Justice; justice of the peace, O. P. Lacy; at- 



194 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



torney, A\'. G. Langford ; assessor, Samuel 
Jacobs ; treasurer, H. E. Holmes ; surveyor, H. 
D. Chapman; clerk, Le F. A. Shaw; street 
commissioner, J. B. Brooks; health officer, A. 
X. Marion. 

At the election of July lo. 1882, there was 
another vigorous contest for the office of mar- 
fchal, and a large vote was polled, the of- 
ficers severally elected or appointed being as 



follows : ^layor, James McAuliff ; councilmen, 
first ward, W. P. \\'inans; second ward, 
Thomas J. Fletcher; third ward, X. T. Caton 
and John Dovell ; marshal, John G. Justice ; 
justice of the peace, O. P. Lacy; attorney. W. 
G. Langford; assessor, Samuel Jacobs; treas- 
urer, Richard Jacobs ; surveyor, John B. Wil- 
son ; clerk, Le F. A. Shaw ; street commissioner, 
J. B. Brooks; health officer. Dr. T. \\\ Sloan. 



CHAPTER XVIII 



LATER HISTORY OF CITY GOVERNMENT OF WALL.\ WALL.\, 18S3-I9OO. 



The city of Walla Walla was reincorporated 
b_\ an act of the legislative assembly of the ter- 
ritory of Washington during the session of 
1883, the same receiving the approval of the 
governor on the 28th of November, that year, 
and bearing title as follows : "An act to in- 
corporate the city of Walla Walla, and to par- 
ticularly define the powers thereof." 

This charter is of special interest for the 
reasons that it is the only one of the kind in 
the state, and that Walla Walla having by the 
last census become a city of the second class is 
now considering the question of reincorpora- 
tion under a new charter, using in that case 
the general form designated by the legislature 
for all cities of that class. 

CITY WARDS AND APPORTIONMENT OF COUN- 
CILMEN. 

■ Ordinance No. 185 passed the council of 
the city of Walla \\^alla February 22, 1884, 
receiving the approval of the mayor on the 
same day, and being entitled as follows : "An 
ordinance to divide the citv of Walla Walla 



into wards, and apportionment of councilmen." 
The text of the ordinance is as follows : 

Section i. The city of Walla Walla shall 
be and is hereby divided into four wards, to be 
known as the first, second, third, and fourth 
wards. 

Sec. 2. The first ward shall be bounded 
a." follows : Commencing at a point where the 
center of Main street intersects the center of 
Third street, thence southerly along the center 
of Third street to the center of Birch street ; 
thence easterly along the center of Birch street 
to the center of Second street ; thence southerly 
along the center of Second street to the south 
boundary of the city; thence along the south 
boundary of the city easterly to the southeast 
corner of the city; thence northerly along the 
east boundary of the city to the center of ^^lill 
creek; thence down Will creek to the center of 
East Main street; thence along the center of 
East Main and Main streets in a westerly di- 
rection to the place of beginning. 

Sec. 3. The second ward shall be bounded 
as follows : Beginning at the intersection of 
Main and Third streets; thence southwesterly 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



195 



along the center of Main street to the west 
boundary line of the city : thence south along the 
■west boundary line of the city to the south- 
west corner of the city; thence easterly along 
the south boundary of the city to the center of 
■Second street ; thence northerly along- the center 
of Second street to the center of Birch street; 
thence west along the center of Birch street 
to the center of Third street ; thence northerly 
along Third street to the place of beginning. 

Sec. 4. The third ward shall be bounded 
as follows: Beginning at the center of Main 
and North Third streets where they intersect, 
thence running northerly on the center line of 
North Third street to the center of Elm street ; 
thence northeasterly on the center line of Elm 
street to the center of North Second street; 
thence northerly on the center line of North 
Second street to the northern boundary line 
of the city; thence east along said northern 
boundary line of said city to the northeast cor- 
ner of the northwest quarter of the northeast 
quarter of section twenty (20), in township 
seven (7) north, range thirty-six (36) east; 
thence south to the northeast corner of the 
southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of 
said section twenty (20) ; t'lience east to the 
northeast corner of the city ; thence south to 
the center of Mill creek ; thence down the cen- 
ter of Mill creek to the center of East Main 
street ; thence westerly along the center of East 
Main and I\Iain streets to the place of begin- 
ning. 

Sec. 5. The fom-th ward shall be bounded 
as follows : Commencing at the center of Main 
and North Third streets where they intersect, 
thence running northerly on the center line of 
said North Third street to the center of Elm 
street : thence northeasterly on the center line 
of Elm street to the center of North Second 
street; thence northerly on the center line of 



North Second street to the northern boundary 
Hue of the city; thence west on said northern 
boundary line to the northwest corner of said 
city; thence south along said west boundary 
line to the United States military reservation; 
thence easterly and then southerly on the line 
of said military reservation to the center of 
Main street ; thence easterly on the center line 
of Main street to the place of beginning. 

Sec. 6. The number of councilmen to 
which each ward is entitled shall be as follows: 
First ward, two councilmen; second ward, two 
councilmen; third ward, two councilmen; 
fourth ward, one councilman. And they shall 
be elected as is provided in section 7 of this 
ordinance. 

Sec. 7. There shall be elected from the 
first, second and third wards each at the next 
general election and at every general election 
thereafter, one councilman, and in the fourth 
ward at the next general election and thereafter 
biennially, one councilman. 

Sec. 8. All ordinances and parts of 
ordinances, so far as they conflict herewith, 
are hereby repealed. 

election precincts. 

The city is divided into eight election pre- 
cincts, designated as follows : Lewis, Clarke, 
Whitman, Steptoe, Mullan, Fremont, Stevens 
and Sims. 

city elections — 1883-1900. 

The results of the annual city elections from 
1883 to 1900, both dates inclusive, are noted 
in the following paragraphs, said elections, ex- 
cept the first, being held under the provisions 
of the charter of the year first mentioned : 

1883. — Mayor, T. R. Tannatt; councilmen, 
first ward, William Glasford; second ward, H. 



196 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Wintler: lliird ward. A. S. Bowles: marshal, 
T. J. Robinson; attorney, W. G. Langforrl; 
treasurer. F. W. Paine; Iiealth oflicer. Dr. A. 
M. r^Iarion ; surveyor, J. B. Wilson ; street com- 
n-.issioner, J. B. Brooks; assessor, William 
Ilarkness; clerk, Le F. A. Shaw. 

1884. — Mayor, T. R. Tannatt; councilmen. 
first ward, A. M. Porter; second ward, Will- 
iam O'Donnell; tliird ward, Thomas Ouinn ; 
fourth ward, W. 11. Kent; marshal, T. J. Rob- 
inson; clerk, Le I". A. Shaw; attorney, W. G. 
Langford ; treasurer, O. P. Lacy ; justice of 
the peace, E. B. \\'hitman ; health officer, W. G. 
Alban ; surveyor, J. B. Wilson ; street commis- 
sioner, J. B. Brooks; sexton, J. S. McNeil. 

1885. — Mayor, J. ]\L Boyd; councilmen. 
first ward, J. W. Esteb ; second ward. J. Picard ; 
third ward, L. H. Bowman ; marshal. T. J. 
Robinson ; clerk. Le F. A. Shaw ; justice of 
the peace, J. D. Laman ; attorney. W. G. Lang- 
ford ; treasurer, Joel Chitwood ; surveyor, J. 
B. Wilson; street commissioner. J- B. Brooks; 
assessor. J. B. Wilson ; health officer. W. G. 
Alban; sexton, J. A. McNeil. 

1S86. — Maj'or, J. M. Boytl; councilmen. 
first wartl. William Stine; second ward, John 
Manion ; third ward, J- M- Hill ; fourth ward, 
H. G. Tobin; marshal. T. J. Robinson; clerk, 
Henry Kelling; treasurer. R. G. Parks; at- 
torney. J. L. Sharpstcin ; surveyor. L. A. Wil- 
son; justice of the peace, J. D. Laman; street 
commissioner, Charles Berg; assessor, Will- 
iam Harkness ; health officer, H. R. Keylor ; 
sexton, J. A. McNeil. 

1887. — Mayor, James Mc.\ulifF; council- 
men, first ward. D. W. Small; second ward. 
John Picard; thinl ward. George Dacres; mar- 
shal, T. J. Robinson; clerk. Henry Kelling; 
attorney. J. L. Sharpstein ; treasurer, R. G. 
Parks: justice of the peace, A. J. Gregory; 
assessor, M. H. Paxton : surveyor. J. B. W'W- 



son; street commissioner. Charles Berg; health 
officer. H. R. Keylor; sexton, Henry Sander- 
son. 

1888. — Mayor. G. T. Thompson; council- 
men, fust ward. W. H. L'pton ; second ward, 
John Manion: third waril. J. M. Hill; fourth 
ward, R. I\L ]\IcCalley; marshal. T. J. Robin- 
son; clerk. Henry Kelling; attorney, J. L. 
Sharpstein; treasurer, R. G. Parks: justice of 
the peace, A. J. Gregory; assessor, M. 11. Pax- 
ton; surveyor. A. J. Anderson ; health officer, 
Dr. Y. C. Blalock; sexton, Hem-y Sanderson. 
1889. — Mayor, Dr. N. G. Blalock; council- 
men, first ward, D. W. Small and J. H. Stock- 
well (unexpired term) ; second ward. Z. K. 
Straight: thirtl ward. J. L. Roberts and J. F. 
Brewer (unexpired term) ; marshal, T. J. Rob- 
inson: treasurer. R. G. Parks: clerk, Henry 
Kelling; attorney, J. L. Sharpstein; justice of 
the peace, John A. Taylor ; assessor, ]M. H. 
Paxton ; surveyor, \\'. G. Sayles ; health officer, 
Y. C. Blalock; sexton, Henry Sanderson. 

1890. — ALayor, N. G. Blalock; councilmen, 
first ward, J. H. Stockwell ; second ward. John 
Picard; third ward, H. A. Reynolds; fourth 
ward. R. :\r. McCalley; marshal. T. J. Robin- 
son; clerk, Henry Kelling; attorney, J. L. 
Sharpstein ; treasurer, R. G. Parks ; justice of 
the peace, V. D. Lambert; assessor, I\L H. 
Paxton ; surveyor. L. A. Wilson ; health officer. 
Dr. Y. C. Blalock ; street commissioner, D. A. 
McLeod; sexton. Pardon Bentley. 

1891. — ]Mayor, John L. Roberts; council- 
men, first ward, H. S. Young; second ward, 
Jacob Betz : third ward. .\. J. Evans ; marshal, 
T. J. Robinson ; treasurer, R, G. Parks ; clerk. 
Henry Kelling; attorney. W. T. Dovell; justice 
of the peace. John A. Taylor; assessor, M. H. 
Paxton ; surveyor. L. \\'. Loehr ; health officer, 
Dr. Y. C. Blalock ; street commissioner. D. A. 
INIcLeod: sexton. P. D. Bentley. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



197 



1S92. — Mayor, John L. Roberts; council- 
inen, first ward, B. D. Crocker; second ward, 
J. G. Munting-a; third ward, E. H. Massman; 
fourth ward, J. L. Jones; marshal, T. J. Rob- 
ir.son ; clerk, Henry Kelling ; attorney, W. T. 
Dovell; treasurer, R. G. Parks; justice of the 
peace, T. T. Burgess; assessor, M. H. Paxton; 
surveyor, L. W. Loehr; health officer, W. G. 
Alban; street commissioner, W. H. Brown; 
sexton, P. D. Bentley. 

1893. — Alayor, John L. Roberts; council- 
men, first ward, Daniel Stewart; second ward, 
Jacob Betz; third ward, N. F. Butler; marshal, 
T. J. Robinson; clerk, Henry Kelling; attorney, 
W. T. Dovell; treasurer, R. G. Parks; justice 
of the peace, W. T. Arberry; assessor, J. B. 
Wilson; surveyor, E. S. Clark; health officer, 
W. M. Ely; street commissioner, W. H. 
Brown; sexton, P. D. Bentley. 

1894. — Mayor, John L. Roberts; council- 
men, first ward, Milton Evans; second ward, 
M. ]\fartin; third ward, E. H. Massam; fourth 
ward, Stephen Ringhofer; marshal, W. S. 
Halley ; clerk, Henry Kelling ; attorney, W. T. 
Dovell; treasurer, R. G. Parks; justice of the 
peace, W. T. Arberry; assessor, T. H. Jessup; 
surveyor, E. S. Clark; health ofificer, W. G. 
Alban ; street commissioner, W. H. Brown ; 
sexton, P. D. Bentley. 

1895. — Mayor, John L. Roberts; council- 
men, first ward, A. K. Dice ; second ward, Jacob 
Betz; third ward, J. D. Lamb; marshal, M. 
Ames; clerk, Alex. McKay; attorney, W. T. 
Dovell ; treasurer, R. G. Parks ; justice of the 
peace, H. W. Eagan; surveyor, E. S. Clark; 
street commissioner, D. A. McLeod;health of- 
ficer, W. G. Alban; sexton, P. D. Bentley. 

1896. — Mayor, Jacob Betz; councilmen, 
first ward, Milton Evans; second ward, J. P. 
Kent; third ward, E. H. Massam; fourth ward, 
V. D. Lambert; marshal, M. Ames; clerk, J. 



E. Williams; attorney, C. M. Rader; treasurer, 
John W. McGhee, Jr.; surveyor, E. S. Clark; 
street commissioner, W. H. Brown; health of- 
ficer, W. G. Alban ; sexton, P. D. Bentley. 

1897. — Mayor, Jacob Betz; councilmen, 
first ward, A. K. Dice; second ward, F. M. 
Pauley ; third ward, Oliver Cornwell ; marshal, 
J. J. Kauffman; clerk, C. N. McLean; attorney, 
.H. S. Blandford; treasurer, J. W. McGhee, Jr.; 
justice of the peace, J. J. Huffman; surveyor, 
E. S. Clark ; street commissioner, W. H. 
Brown ; health officer, W. G. i\.lban ; sexton, 
P. D. Bentley. 

1898. — Mayor, Jacob Betz; councilmen, 
first ward, E. H. Nixon ; second ward, Marshall 
Martin ; third ward, J. F. Brewer ; fourth ward, 
Albert Niebergall ; marshal, J. J. Kauffman ; 
clerk, C. N. McLean; attorney, H. S. Bland- 
ford; treasurer, John W. McGhee, Jr.; justice 
of the peace, J. J. Huffman ; assessor, Fred A. 
Colt; surveyor, E. S. Clark; street commis- 
sioner, D. A. McLeod ; sexton, P. D. Bentley. 

1899. — Mayor, Jacob Betz; councilmen, 
first ward, G. W. Babcock; second ward, Fred 
i\L Pauly; third ward, E. S. Isaacs; marshal, 
J. J. KaufYman ; clerk, P. P. Reynolds ; at- 
torney, H. S. Blandford; treasurer, Le F. A. 
Shaw; justice of the peace, William Glasford ; 
assessor, W. L. Cadman ; street commissioner, 
W. H. Brown; surveyor, E. S. Clark; health 
officer, W. G. Alban ; sexton, P. D. Bentley. 

1900. — Mayor, Jacob Betz; councilmen, 
first ward, J. F. McLean; second ward, Mar- 
shall IMartin ; third ward, J. F. Brewer; fourth 
ward, Albert Niebergall ; marshal, J. J. Kauff- 
man ; clerk, R. P. Reynolds ; treasurer, Le F. 
A. Shaw; attorney, H. S. Blandford; justice 
of the peace. William Glasford; assessor, W. 
L. Cadman ; surveyor, E. S. Clark ; street com- 
missioner, H. H. Crampton; health officer, W. 
]'.. Russell; sexton, P. D. Bentlcv. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



THE CHURCHES OF WALLA WALLA. 



Walla Walla is sometimes called a city of * 
homes. It may also fittingly be called a city of 
churches. There are nine strong churches in 
this place of something over ten thousand in- 
habitants, besides six other religious societies 
of less strength. Of the first may be named 
the Methodist Episcopal church, Methodist 
church, south. First Presbyterian, Cumberland 
Presbyterian, Congregational, Baptist, Cath- 
olic, Episcopal, Christian. Of the smaller or- 
ganizations, there are the Lutheran, German 
Congregational, German Methodist, Seventh 
Day Adventists, Christian Science, and Salva- 
tion Army. 

As to the first church building in Walla 
Walla, we find some reminiscences from one 
of the oldest of the old-timers, from which it 
appears that the first church was a Catholic 
church built in '59. The location of this was 
the old ^IcGillivary place, where Jacob Betz 
now lives. The church was built of poles, 
stuck in the ground, and covered with sliakes. 
It was without a floor, and its seating facilities 
consisted of one long bench. 

The next church was built on the corner 
of Fifth and Alder, just back from the present 
location of the Odd Fellows' building. This 
was a Methodist church and was built by 
Father Berry. It subsequentl)^ was moved to 
where Bryan's stable now is, and was used as 
a house for the hose-cart of the fire department. 
Afterwards, having been enlarged by a second 



story, it became the celebrated "Blue Front,"" 
which was burned a few years ago. 

First among the permanent churches we 
will name the 

CHURCH OF ST. P.\TRICK C.\TH0LIC. 

A second Catholic church was built in '61. 
Its location was near the present St. Vincent's 
Academy. This was erected under the general 
supervision of the Rt. Rev. Bishop Blanchet 
and Rev. A. Younger was the first resident 
parish priest. A sketch of the Catholic church 
niay fittingly be continued at this point by ref- 
erence to the fact that Father Younger was 
succeeded by Rev. J. B. Brouillet. Father 
Erouillet had been in the \\'alla Walla country 
a considerable part of the time from 1847. I" 
1864 he established St. Vincent's Academy, 
which at first was an institution for both sexes, 
but the boys were within a few years provided 
with a new academy of their own, known as 
St. Patrick's Academy. In the year 1870 St. 
Mary's hospital was added to the already large 
interests of the Catholic church. Father 
Erouillet conducted with great energy and suc- 
cess these allied and growing interests of his 
parish, and after having been relieved at in- 
tervals by Revs. Halde and Manz. he resigned 
his position in the year 1875 to take charge 
of the Indian bureau at Washington. Rev. 
Thomas Duffy became his successor. The 
congregation had in the meantime expand- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



199 



eel beyond the limits of the existing church, 
and a larger one had become a necessity. 
Therefore in the summer of 188 r the pres- 
ent magnificent structure was erected. Two 
years later there was a commodious addi- 
tion made to St. Vincent's Academy, and 
large and needed improvements were made 
in the hospital. Owing to a failure of health 
Father Duffy resigned and went to Cali- 
fornia, where he died. He was succeeded by 
the present parish priest, Rev. Father Flohr. 
The Catholic church is especially distingtiished 
for its fine organ and super]) musical services. 
Its programs fur Christmas and Easter are 
events which always attract great throngs, both 
of music lo\-ers and devout worshipers. 

We append herewith brief sketches of the 
history and organization of each of the other 
principal churches in the city. 

THE FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF 
WALL.\ WALLA. 

As to the early history of Methodism in 
Walla Walla county, we can not do better than 
to reproduce in full a brochure issued in the 
year 1900 and entitled "Historical Report of 
the First Methodist Episcopal Church at 
Walla Walla, Washington : Its Organization 
and Work as Reported and Adopted by the 
Second Quarterly Conference held at \Valla 
Walla February 7, 1900; by J. M. Hill and E. 
Smith, Committee." 

On page seventy-four of Rev. H. K. Mine's Mission- 
ary History of the Pacific Northwest, we find that the 
first sermon preached west of the Rocky mountains was 
delivered by Rev. Jason Lee at Fort Hall, on Sundav, 
July 27, 18;M. And in a book entitled Wild Life in Ore- 
gon, on pages 176-7, we will find that the first Methodist 
sermon preached at or near Walla Walla was by the 
Rev. Gustavus Mines, on May 2L 184.3, at Dr. Whitman's 
mission, six miles west of this city. Rev. Gustavus 
Hines also preached at Rev. H. H. Spalding's Lapwai 
mission, on Sunday, May 14, 184;!. 



We find that the first Methodist Episcopal church 
organization that was perfected in Walla Walla, or in 
that part of the country known as eastern Oregon or east- 
ern Washington, was in 18.59, and at that time the Walla 
Walla valley was just commencing to be settled up with 
stock raisers and traders. The town of Walla Walla was 
the principal or most important point, the United States 
, military post being located here, and this place having 
become the wintering place for miners, packers and 
freighters from the mines north and east of this country. 

The Oregon conference of the Methodist Episcopal 
church, having jurisdiction over the church work in this 
section, took up the matter of supplying it with the gos- 
pel, and at the annual conference held at Albany in 
August, 1859, appointed Rev. J. H. Wilber as presiding 
elder of this field, calling it the Walla Walla circuit 
w^hich took in most of that part of the country east of 
The Dalles, Oregon, comprising the Grande Ronde, Walla 
Walla, Snake river and Columbia river valleys as far 
north as the British line and east to the Rocky mountains, 
and appointed Rev. G. M. Berry as pastor for Walla 
Walla circuit. 

Brother Wilber and Brother Berry at once started 
for their field of labor. They came to Walla Walla and 
commenced the work by holding meetings at different 
places, at the homes of some of the people and at times 
in the old log court house at the corner of Main and Fifth 
streets. Soon after taking up the work Brother Wilber 
and Brother Berry decided to organize a class at Walla 
Walla, and on Monday, October 11, 1859, met and organ- 
ized the first class in the district; also held their first 
quarterly conference. The quarterly conference was 
called to order by the presiding elder. Rev. J. H. Wilber, 
and opened with singing and prayer. The pastor, Rev- 
G. M. Berry, was appointed secretary of the meeting. 
The following named brothers were elected as the first 
board of stewards: S. M. Titus, William B. Kelly, John 
Moar, A. B. Roberts and T. P. Denney. A. B. Roberts 
was elected as the recording steward. 

In January. 1860, the class decided to build a church 
in the town of Walla Walla, and appointed a building 
committee to undertake the work, consisting of the pas- 
tor, Rev. G. M. Berry, Brother Thomas Martin and 
Brother John Moar. At a meeting held in April, 1860, 
the committee reported that they had selected for a 
church site lots 6 and 7, block 10, at the corner of Alder 
and Fifth streets, and that Rev. G. M. Berry had made 
application to the board of county commissioners asking 
them to donate the lots to the church. At a meeting 
held on May 21, 1860, the first board of trustees of the 
church at Walla Walla was appointed, being Brothers 
T. P. Denney, S. M. Titus, John Moar, Thomas Martin 
and William B. Kelly; and on May 22, 1860, lots 6 and 7 
of block 10 of the original town of Walla Walla were trans 
ferred to the above named trustees for the church by the 
board of county co nmissioners of Walla Walla county. 

The building committee— the pastor. Rev. G. M 
Berry, as its chairman— with the few members, at once 



200 



HISTORY OF \\'ALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



took up the work of building the church, which was com- 
pleted in the fall of 1860. It was the first church of any 
■denomination built in Walla Walla, and was built at a 
cost of $1,046.52, with unpaid bills to the amount of S131.02. 
These items are taken from the report of the auditor of 
the accounts of the building committee as reported at the 
third quarterly conference, held at Walla Walla on June 
24, 1861, by Andrew Keys, auditor. The pastor, Rev. G- 
]\I. Berry, had practically been Sunday-school superin- 
tendent, as well as pastor, ever since the organization of 
the class until the church was completed. We fail to 
find any record of the dedication of this church. 

The Oregon annual conference of 1861 created the 
Walla Walla district and appointed Rev. John Flinn as 
presiding elder and pastor at Walla Walla. At the 
Oregon annual conference held in 1867, the Walla Walla 
district was divided into one station and four circuits, 
viz: Walla Walla station; Walla Walla, Waitsburg, 
•Grande Ronde and Umatilla circuits. 

In 1868 the class having become strong, and desiring 
a new location for their church building, the board of 
trustees procured lots on the corner of Poplar and Second 
streets. Bought on May 30, 1868, from W. J. and Abell 
Arner for S250.00, and deeded to the following named 
trustees: H. Parker, T. P. Denney, J. L. Reser, Joseph 
Paul and John W. McGhee. The old church was moved 
to the new location, repaired and enlarged, and a parson- 
age was fitted up just east of the church, facing on Poplar 
street. 

At the Oregon annual conference held at Eugene, 
August 5 to 9, 1869, all the membership and appoint- 
ments formally denominated Walla Walla station, Walla 
W'alla circuit and Dry Creek were formed as one charge 
and called Walla Walla circuit, to which Rev. John T. 
Wolf was appointed as pastor and Rev. Charles H. 
Hoxie as assistant pastor. 

Rev. James B. Callaway was presiding elder of the 
district, and on September 18, 1869, called together at 
Walla Walla all of the official members of the new cir- 
cuit and organized the first quarterly conference, electing 
the following board of trustees: Charles Moore, T. P. 
Denney, D. M. Jessee, M. Emerick, Benjamin Hayward, 
A. H. Simmons, M. McEverly, William Holbrook and 
Oliver Gallaher. At the Oregon annual conference held 
at Vancouver, on August 25, 1870, Walla Walla city was 
again made a station, separating it from the Walla Walla 
circuit, and Rev. H. C. Jenkins was appointed as pastor. 

Early in the spring of 1878, under the leadership of 
the pastor, Rev. D. G. Strong, the class undertook the 
erection of a new church building. The old church was 
sold to Mr. J. F. Abbott, for two hundred and fifty dol- 
lars and moved off of the lots, and through the efforts of 
the pastor and his board of trustees, consisting of B. F. 
Burch, J. E. Berryman, H. Middough, John Berry and 
O. P. Lacy, together with the faithful members and 
friends, the new church was completed at a cost of about 
ten thousand dollars, receiving from the church extension 
society of the church a donation of one thousand dollars 



and a loan of five hundred dollars. The loan in due time 
was paid back. After the completion of the new church 
Rev. W. G. Simpson w^as the first pastor and Brother E. 
Smith was the first Sunday-school superintendent. For 
some reason not on record, the church was not dedicated 
until August, 1879. The collection and services at the 
dedication were in charge of Bishop Haven, he being the 
bishop for the annual conference held at Walla Walla 
August 7 to 12, 1879. 

It having been discovered in 188.3 that the board of 
trustees had never been incorporated under the laws of 
the territory of Washington, the quarterly conference di- 
rected that articles of incorporation should be prepared. 

B. L. and J. L. Sharpstein, attorneys, were employed to 
prepare incorporation papers, and on February 9, 1883, 
they were signed and acknowledged by the following 
board of trustees: Donald Ross, C. P. Headley, S. F. 
Henderson, J. M. Hill, H. C. Sniff, H. C. Chew, E. Smith 
and G. H. Randall, and filed with the territorial auditor 
and the auditor of Walla Walla county. At the first 
meeting of this board of trustees they elected the follow- 
ing officers: J. M. Hill, president; Donald Ross, secre- 
tary; C. P. Headley, treasurer. 

During the summer of 1887, the class, under the 
leadership of the pastor, Rev. Henry Brown, with the 
ladies of the church and the trustees, consisting of J. H. 
Parker, C. P. Headley, S. F. Henderson, J. M. Hill, H. 

C. Sniff, H. C.Chew, G. H. Randall and E. Smith, under- 
took the building of a new parsonage, and with the 
bequest of five hundred dollars from the estate of our 
departed brother, E. Sherman, designated by him to 
be used for a new parsonage and 6596.47 raised princi- 
pally by the efforts of the ladies' parsonage com- 
mittee, a two-story, seven-room parsonage was erected 
on the grounds of the old parsonage, facing Poplar 
street, and this was turned over to the board of trustees 
free of debt and fairly well furnished. 

During 1887, through the efforts of Rev. J. H. Wil- 
ber, a small church was built in the eastern part of the 
city and called Wilber Chapel. Brother W.J. White dona- 
ted a lot for that purpose, three hundred dollars being 
received from the church extension society, part of the 
balance being subscriptions from friends ; but the 
greater part being given by Rev. J. H. Wilber him, 
self. The church cost one thousand five hundred dollars, 
and was deeded to the trustees of the First Methodist 
Episcopal church of Walla Walla: viz: J. H. Parker, J. 
M. Hill, C. P. Headley, S. F. Henderson, H. C. Sniff, H. 
C. Chew, G. H. Randall and E. Smith. The church was 
sold to the German Lutheran society for the sum of one 
thousand six hundred dollars, on September 5, 1892 
returning to the board of the church extension about 
four hundred dollars due them in principal and inter- 
est. The dedication of Wilber chapel was by Rev. N. 
E. Parsons, presiding eider, assisted by Rev. J. H. Wilber 
and Rev. Henry Brown. During 1894, the church under 
the leadership of Rev. V. C. Evers, the pastor, with the 
trustees, enlarged the present church by extending it to 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



20I 



the north Hne of the property, increasing the seating 
capacity of the church with lecture room to five hundred 
and twenty-five persons. 

Our church property at this time is free from debt 
and consists of: 

One church building and lot, value, 5111,500.00; one 
parsonage and fraction of lot, value, $2,000.00 ; total, 
$i;j,.500.00. 

The following are the names of the pastors at Walla 
Walla and time of service: 1859 to 1861, Rev. George 
M. Berry; 1861 to 1863, Rev. John Fhnn; 1863 to 186.J, 
Rev. William Franklin; 1865 to 1866, Rev. James Dear- 
doff; 1866 to 1867, Rev. John L. Reser; 1867 to 1869, Rev. 
John T. Wolfe; 1869 to 1870, Rev. C. H. Hoxie; 1870 to 
1872, Rev. H.C. Jenkins; 1872 to 1873, Rev.J. W. Miller; 
1873 to 1874, Rev. S. G. Havermale; 1874 to 1875, Rev. 
G. W. Grannis; 1875 to 1876, Rev. S. L. Burrell; 1876 to 
1878, Rev. D. G. Strong; 1878 to 1880, Rev. W. G, Simp- 
son; 1880 to 1882, Rev. G. M. Irwin; 1882 to 1883, Rev. 
A. J. Joslyn; 1883 to 1884, Rev. W. C. Gray; 1884 to 1885, 
Rev. J. }). Flenner; 1885 to 1886, Rev. V. G. Strong; 1886 

to 1889, Rev. Henry Brown; 1889 to 1892, Rev. W. W. 

VanDusen; 1892 to 1896, Rev. V. C. Evers; 1896 to 

1899, Rev. W. C. Reuter; 1899 to 1900, Rev. Lee A. 

Johnson. 

The following are the names of the presiding elders 

of Walla Walla district, and time of service: 1859 to 

1861, Rev. J. H. Wilber; 1861 to 1864, Rev. John Flinn; 

1864 to 1866, Rev. Isaac Dillon; 1866 to 1869, Rev. J. B. 

Calloway; 1869 to 1870, Rev. W. H. Lewis; 1870 to 1874, 

Rev. H. K. Hines; 1874 to 1878, Rev. S.G. Havermale; 

1878 to 1882, Rev. D. G. Strong; 1882 to 1885, Rev. W. 

S. Turner; 1885 to 1886, Rev. Levi L. Tarr; 1886 to 1888, 

Rev. N. E. Parsons; 1888 to 1892, Rev. D. G. Strong; 

1892 to 1898, Rev.T. A. Towner; 1898 to 1900, Rev. M. 

H. Marvin. 

At this writing Rev. Lee A. Jolinson is 
pastor and Rev. M. H. Marvin is presiding 
elder. The membership of the church is now 
over three hundred. 



ST. P.\UL S EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 

This church was organized January 17, 
1872, with Rev. Lemuel H. Wells, now bishop 
of the diocese of eastern Washington, first 
rector. 

Services of the Episcopal church were held 
in Walla Walla as early as 1864 in churches 
■of other denominations by Bishop Scott, of 
Portland, an<l Rev. T. A. Hayland. For a 



year Rev. Lemuel H. Wells conducted services 
in the old court house, now the Star Brewery, 
corner of Alder and Third streets, when the 
present edifice was completed on the corner of 
Third and Poplar streets, at a cost of fifty-four 
hundred dollars. It is a cozy, comfortable 
luiilding; a happy exchange for the barren, un- 
attractive room occupied at first. 

Rev. Mr. Wells' first congregations did not 
number more than a dozen persons, with not 
more than half of these Episcopalians, but the 
great-souled qualities of this pioneer disciple 
of St. Paul were as a magnet to the church, 
and that i:iost appalling of all sights to a min- 
ister, "empty benches," was a state of affairs of 
short duration. 

The court room in a short time was inad- 
equate to the wants of the church, and the com- 
fort of a church building was not a fact of as 
great importance as the necessity of more room. 
The seating capacity of the church is nearly 
three hundred and in its earliest days was often 
crowded to overflowing. 

The Snnflay-school. beginning with three 
or four children, increased in an equal ratio -to 
the church congregation. These little Christian 
soldiers were phenomenal workers and aided 
in many ways in furnishing the church, espe- 
cially did they contribute generously to the 
fund for buying the bell. Their Easter offer- 
ings sometimes exceeded one hundred dollars. 
Most of this was earned by the giver or was 
the result of some sacrifice on the part of the 
donor. Mr. Wells was rector for ten years, 
with the exception of one and one-half years, 
which time was supplied by Rev. J. D. McCon- 
key. Rev. Wells was succeeded by Rev. Dr. 
Lathrop, a gentleman well adapted to continue 
the good work his predecessor had so heroically 
taken up. 

Those who have succeeded since then are 



202 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Revs. McEwan. Tichudr, Dr. Xcvins White, 
GoSs, Dr. Law, Palmer, and Bard, the present 
rector. 

The church has never enjoyed greater pros- 
perity tiian at tlie present time. Its financial 
condition is good, the vestry is composed of 
enterprising men, whose management of the 
churcli affairs is most satisfactory. The rector. 
Rev. Andreas Bard, is young and enthusiastic, 
earnest in his work, of pleasing personaHty and 
high order of intellectuality, eminently fitted to 
increase the good work of the church. St. 
Paul's church considers itself the fortunate pos- 
sessor of the most able minister in the state. 

The present building is uncomfortably 
crowded, and the erection of a large stone 
church is contemplated in the near future. 

THE FIRST CONGREG.-\TION.\L CIICRCH. 

The following excerpt from a publication 
issued in 1894, entitled Manual of the First 
Congregational Church of Walla Walla, Wash- 
ington, gives a very complete history of this 
church from the earliest times to the date of 
its issue : 

The story of the life of the First Congrcfcational 
church of Walla Walla is not a story of uninterrupted 
ease on the part of its members, or of continuous suc- 
cess and steady advancement on the part of the organi- 
zation itself. It came into existence as the logical result 
of the most extraordinary efforts by its founders and it 
has lived only by the sacrifice and earnest prayer and 
labor of its members. 

The first resident Congregational minister to settle 
in the state was Rev. Cushing Kells, better known to us 
as Father Eells, who entered the valley August 29, 1838, 
as a missionary to the Indians, and on that date the his- 
tory of our church commences, though no church organ- 
ization was formed for nearly twenty-seven years later. 
The history of the time between those dates is the his- 
tory of struggle, trial, privation, apparent failure, and 
abandonment of the field till 18()0, when Father Eells 
returned to the valley and took possession of the Mission 
farm, where he lived for a number of years, working on 
the farm, preaching, teaching and spreading the gospel in 
various ways. 



In May, 1804, Rev. P. B. Chamberlain seuled in 
Walla Walla for the purpose of occupying the field. 
This purpose he fulfilled by preaching occasionally in 
the Methodist church and by conducting a school. The 
growth of the school and the need of a place of worship 
led Mr. Chamberlain to buy ground and erect thereon a 
building for a school and for religious worship, a little 
west of the house now occupied by our good Deaconess 
Chamberlain. In this Congregational cradle the Con- 
gregational infant of Washington, rocked by Congrega- 
tional hands and fed on wholesome Congregational food, 
thrived until July II, 1868, when the little church, which 
represented such great sacrifice on the part of its build- 
er, was destroyed by fire. 

On January 1, 1865, the First Congregational church 
of Walla Walla, and the first in the state of Washington, 
was organized by Rev. Cushing Eells and wife, Rev. P. 
B. Chamberlain and wife, J. W. McKee and wife, and 
Edwin Eells, and the "Sacrament of the Lord's Supper 
was administered to the new church and to the other 
Christians present." The church grew slowly but stead- 
ily in numbers and strength, and when its place of wor- 
ship was destroyed had sufficient energy to immediately 
undertake the task of building a new structure. The 
result of its labors, augmented by generous contribu- 
tions from the citizens, we are now enjoying. 

The society was incorporated January Ifi, 1869, by 
Cushing Eells, John B. Stowell, G. W. Somerindyke, 
Robert Thompson, P. B. Chamberlain and Edwin Eells, 
the first board of trustees being composed of G. W. 
Somerindyke, J. B. Stowell and Robert Thompson. Edwin 
Eells was the first church clerk. The church flourished 
for a year or two, till from the removal of members and 
other causes, its fortunes changed, and from 1870 its cause 
waned and weakened, and in 1880 its doors were closed, 
to remain so until the arrival of Rev. N. K. Cobleigh in 
the spring of 1882. 

Interest was somewhat restored and the church 
prospered under his leadership for several years, until 
he was called to the missionary field of Eastern Wash- 
ington. The most notable official event during his pas- 
torate was the election of the first deacon of the church. 
Dr. A. J. Anderson, who was chosen to fill the office for 
three months. 

Rev. Ezra Haskell succeeded to the pastorate July 
8, 1894, soon after which the church seemed to receive a 
new inspiratiiin and a new life, every member working 
vigorously and successfully for its interests. During this 
pastorate the amount subscribed for the pastor's salary 
by the church was raised fron:>S40.0j to §60.00 per month, 
the amount asked from the missionary society being 
correspondingly reduced. It was during this pastorate, 
too, that the Christian Endeavor Society was formed, 
that valuable auxiliary to the church work being the 
result of special effort on the part of the pastor and the 
then few young people of the church. By reason of dis- 
agreement between the pastor and the church the spirit- 
ual health of the latter became impaired and the rela- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



203 



tion of pastor and people ceased at the end of the second 
year. 

On September 8, 188G, Rev. H. R. Foster, one of 
God's most gilted and consecrated servants, was called 
to the pulpit, but was compelled to resign because of ill 
health on June 20th of the next year. During this short 
pastorate the spiritual power of the church was increased 
most marvelously and it seemed to the members that 
God was indeed smiling on their efforts. However, this 
was but God's preparation for the future conditions. 

In the early years of the pastorate of Rev. E. R. 
Loomis, who was ne.xt called to be our leader, the cause 
flourished to the great satisfaction of the members. Many 
important modifications were adopted during this period, 
notable among which were the adoption of the new con- 
stitution by the church; a reincorporation by which the 
women were given the privilege of becoming members 
of the corporate body; the relief of the missionary soci- 
ety from the burden it had so long, generously, and faith- 
fully borne; the formation of a Junior Endeavor Society; 
and the closer union of the church and Sunday-school. 
After the resignation of Mr. Loomis the pulpit was sup- 
plied by him for some time, and afterwards, for a few 
months, by Rev. Mr. Hague, of Maine. 

The church was fortunate enough to have among its 
members several preachers who conducted the services 
until we were blessed by the arrival among us of our 
present pastor. Rev. E. L. Smith, whose labors speak 
for him and require no comments. 

Here we are in the year 1&94, as a strong man to run 
a race, well equipped for the work, earnest to do the Mas- 
ter's bidding, laboring for the salvation of souls and 
desirous of building up the Christian sentiment of the 
community in every way possible, but especially in the 
way of building a solid foundation and superstructure of 
Congregationalism in this part of the great Northwest. 

It is only necessary to add that the hopes 
above e.xpressed have been quite fully realized 
in the subsequent work of the church. Rev. 
E. L. Smith continued to ininister unto the 
society until November, 1898, when he was suc- 
ceeded by Rev. Austin Rice, the present pastor. 
In 1899 an elegant new church edifice was 
erected on the corner of Palouse and Alder 
streets, and the same has been occupied as a 
place of worship since January i, 1900. The 
])resent structure, by reason of its convenient 
and commodious basement, is peculiarly well 
fitted for building up the social life of the 
church. The Sunday-school, under the super- 
ii:tendencv of President S. B. L. Penrose, has 



become one of the strongest in the town, having 
an average attendance of about one hundred 
and fifty. The present officers of the church 
are : Standing Committee, Daniel Burr, A. H. 
Reynolds, John Baker, Mrs. Isabel Kirkman, 
INIrs. Eva Williams and Miss Anna Hill ; 
Trustees, W. D. Lyman, H. A. Reynolds, E. 
J. McGougan; Clerk, W. S. Clark; Treasurer, 
Jay Williams. The present total membership 
of the church is two hundred and twenty-three. 

THE CUMBERL.\ND PRESBYTERI.\N CHURCH. 

On the 5th of January, 1873, was effected 
the organization of the First Cumberland 
Presbyterian church of Walla Walla, those 
primarily concerned in such organization being 
the Rev. Harrison W. Eagan and seven mem- 
bers, the original elders of the church being 
Joel Hargrove, J. M. Reed and W. B. Simon- 
ton. Mr. Eagan became pastor, of the new so- 
ciety and ministered to the church continuously 
until the ist of January, 1882. During the 
decade of his pastorate more than two hundred 
members were received into the church, in 
wdiose affairs he continued to maintain a deep 
and lively interest long after the conclusion of 
his pastoral functions. He was succeeded by 
Rev. J. N. Crawford, who was in turn suc- 
ceeded by Rev. J. C. Van Patten. The Rev. 
^^^ W. Beck presided over the destinies of the 
society for two years, his pastorate having its 
inception in 1886, after which Rev. E. G. Mc- 
Lean, D. D., was pastor for five years, being 
succeeded by Rev. R. E. Powell, who retained 
the position two years, after which the church 
was placed under the pastoral direction of Rev. 
Duncan Wallace, who resigned the charge in 
September, 1900, remo\-ing to California. The 
present pastor of the churcli is Rev. G. A. 
Blair. The ])rcscnt membershii) of the church 



204 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY, 



is about two hundred. From the time of its 
organization the churcli has steadily grown not 
only in numbers but also in its influence for 
good. It has been signally awake to every 
moral and spiritual interest and its collateral 
organizations are active and beneficent, the 
same including the Young Peoples' Society of 
Christian Endeavor, the Junior Endeavor and 
the Pilgrim and Missionary societies. The 
officers of the church at the present time are 
as follows: Elders, \\\ P. Winans, K. F. 
Eutler, J. \\'. Armstrong, W. S, OtYner, Dr. 
N. G. Blalock, G. H. Sutherland and A. AL 
Cation ; deacons, H. E. Johnson, George Star- 
ret t, J. F. McLean. A. J. Evans, A. J. Beard, 
P. U. \\'inans, Sam McBride, Marvin Evans 
and ]\L E. Brewer. 

Recapitulating the history of this prcspsrous 
organization, we may say that services were 
originally held in the old court house, which. 
at the expiration of a year, proved inadequate to 
accommodate the society, and the city hall was 
therefore brought into requisition. Recogniz- 
ing the exigent demand for a permanent house 
o.f worship, the society purchased a lot on the 
southwest comer of Third and Poplar streets 
and erected thereon, in 187(3, the present church 
edifice at a cost of six thousand dollars. The 
building was dedicated on the 4th of January, 
1880. being at the time free from indebtedness. 
It is worthy of note at this juncture, as in- 
dicative of the liberal and broad-minded at- 
titude of the citizens of \Valla Walla, that the 
sum demanded for the erection of the church 
building was secured by general subscriptions 
in tlie city and that these contributions were 
made without reference to religious affiliations, 
no aid from the missionary fund of the de- 
nomination being called for. 



THE CHRISTIAN CIIIRCH. 

In the fall of 1878 the Christian church 
of this city had its beginning in the temporary 
organization of eight people, for the purpose 
of worshiping and teaching according to their 
belief. Then on March 31st of the following 
year a permanent organization of eleven mem- 
bers was effected. Judge N. T. Caton was 
chosen clerk of the congregation and within 
a year the luimber of members was increased 
tc thirty-two persons. For some years th.e 
church had no regular minister, but was vis- 
ited occasionally by the Waitsburg pastor and 
by other ministers who by chance came this 
way. Brother Xeal Cheetem was frequently 
here and was very helpful to the struggling 
little band of disciples. For some years after 
the organization the meetings were held from 
time to time in several of the older church 
buildings, which were \ery kindly tendered by 
th.eir congregations. Then the old opera house 
was used for a short period. Later Baumeis- 
ter's hall was secured and used until the chm ch 
n^.oved into its own building, situated on Thirtl 
street lietween Birch street and Stahl avenue. 
The organization was incorporated July 31, 
1 89 1, under the name of the First Christian 
church of Walla Walla, Washington, with S. 
C. Cahert, F. N. Bowman and William Pres- 
ton as the first trustees. Previous to the build- 
ing of the new church Xeal Cheetem. J. 11. 
Mollis, A. H. Foster, J. B. Johnson and R. H. 
Lotz served the congregation as pastors. After 
preaching his regular sermon on Lord's Day 
morning, September 20, 1891, Pastor Lotz an- 
nounced that Judge J. H. Lasater offered the 
congregation a lot suitable for a church build- 
ing, providing the congregation would at once 



HISTORY OB" WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



205 



erect such a building. Steps were immediately 
taken to accept this liberal offer. A building 
committee composed of S. C. Calvert, chair- 
man, and F. M. Bowman, E. W. Thornton, 
B. W. Schell and William Preston, was ap- 
pointed, who were instructed to enter at once 
upon the work of raising funds and securing 
plans for the new cliurch building. 

A. C. Dickinson, of the Waitsburg congre- 
gation, very generously gave five hundred dol- 
lars in cash toward the fund, and the Church 
Extension Society of the Christian church gave 
a loan of one thousand dollars. These amounts 
with the liberal contributions of the members 
and friends of the church enabled the commit- 
tee to commence the building soon after the 
offer made by Judge Lasater. The plans were 
successfully carried out and the building com- 
pleted, and on April 2d of the following 
spring William F. Cowden, missionary in the 
northwest for the American Home Board of 
the Christian church, dedicated the commodious 
building now occupied by the congregation. 
Then with much enthusiasm the congregation 
began to increase its membership and repay the 
loan against its building. Again its friends 
and. members were true to it an<l lilicral in 
their gifts, so at this time the debt has all been 
paid and the building in a good state of re- 
pair. The membership has steadily increased 
until there are now over two hundred and sev- 
enty-five members in good standing and full 
fellowship. J. B. Daisley, C. P. Smith, J. F. 
Ghormley and O. J. Gist served as pastors in 
the order named since the dedication of the 
new building until January i, 1897. Since 
that date the ])ulpit has been occupied by L. 
O. Herrold. The present board of trustees is 
composed of Messrs. C. L Hall, Harry Lasater 
and D. W. Coward. 

The church in its early years has endured 



the usual struggles incident to starting and 
luiilding a new work, but out of it all God has 
brought a strong and united church which 
looks forward with great hope for the future. 

THE BAPTIST CHURCH. 

Services according to the forms of the 
Baptist church were held in Walla Walla as 
early as 1870, by Rev. W. H, Pruett, but 
nearly a decade passed before a formal organ- 
ization was effected. Of the genesis and 
growth of the First Baptist church of this city 
the historical edition of the Walla Walla Union 
of August, 1896, speaks as follows: 

'"To attempt to write a history of a church 
now in the zenith of its glory is like trying 
to write the biography of a great and good 
man while he is still alive and in the prime of 
his usefulness. The history of the First Bap- 
tist church of Walla Walla is a history of 
trials and triumphs. This church, like most 
of the western churches in early days, had a 
hard struggle for existence. The Baptists 
were late in effecting an organization in this 
city, which caused a great deal of hard work 
and patience to obtain a foothold. Many of 
the prominent families of the city were Baptists 
and had belonged to Baptist churches in the 
east, but on coming to Walla Walla found no 
Baptist church organization, so joined churches 
of other denominations. 

"On May 1 1, 1879, the First Baptist church 
of Walla Walla was organized, with five mem- 
bers, and Rev. J. L. Blitch, of Dixon, Cali- 
fornia, became the first pastor and served the 
church for a year and a half, .\fter remaining 
pastorless for several months the church ex- 
tended a call to Rev. D. J. Pierce, of Laramie, 
Wyoming, which was accepted. Mr. Pierce 
was well known fin the coast, having: served 



206 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



the First Baptist cliurch of Portland, Oregon, 
previous to this. It was during the two j-ears 
of Mr. Pierce's pastorate that the present 
clnirch ethtice was erected, at a cost of four 
thousand five hundred dollars, not including 
the lot. which cost about two thousand dollars. 
\Mth but twenty-seven members, Air. Pierce 
commenced the work of building, and carried 
it through to completion. After leaving Walla 
Walla Mr. Pierce became pastor of the First 
Baptist church of Seattle. Rev. A. B. Banks, 
pastor of the First Baptist church of Laramie, 
Wyoming, succeeded Mr. Pierce as pastor. 
During the two years of Mr. Banks' pastorate 
the church continued to increase in member- 
ship and influence. At the close of his pastorate 
the church extended a call to Rev. S. W. 
Beavan. during whose pastorate of a year and 
a lialf the church was greatly strengthened. 
Mr. Beavan was succeeded in his pastorate by 
his brother. Rev. J. H. Beavan, who served as 
pastor for five and a half years with great suc- 
cess. The church then extended a call to Rev. 
J. A\\ Neyman, but at that time it was not 
accepted. A call was then given to Rev. M. C. 
Cole, of Xew Orleans, which he accepted. Mr. 
Cole served the church as pastor for nearly 
three and a half years. This church has made 
a steady growth from the first. The church 
has always been liberal in its gifts to carry on 
mission work at home and in foreign lands. 
The property of the church is valued at about 
nine thousand dollars, including the parson- 
age." 

At the beginning of the year 1896 the 
church again extended a call to the Rev. J. W. 
Neyman, who accepted. Under his pastorate, 
which terminated in 1898, the church showed 
a healthful growth in all branches of work, 
as well as in membership, and this has been 
signally true also during the regime of his 



successors, Rev. J. F. Huckleberry, who had 
pastoral charge for seven months, and Rev. H. 
B. Turner, the present pastor. The church 
maintains a mission chapel at the corner of 
Ninth and Rees streets, and its work in a 
spiritual way and in tlje matter of various 
benevolences is proving a cumulative power for 
good. The various subordinate organizations 
maintained in the society are thoroughly vital 
and discharge their various functions with a 
high degree of efficiency. 

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH. 

This church was organized by F. W. D. 
Mays in October or November, 1875, witli a 
small class, chief among whom were the old 
pioneers, D. M. Jesse and J. M. Gose and their 
wives. F. \\\ D. Mays used for some time 
the United Brethren church building for his 
religious services, as their class was then with- 
out a pastor. Their property was offered for 
sale and Mr. Mays made arrangements to pur- 
chase the same. !Money was appropriated by 
his general Board of Missions in Nashville to 
make the purchase. The authorities of the 
United Brethren church concluded, however, 
not to sell their property, and the money do- 
nated by the Nashville Board was used to buy 
two lots at the present location on Fourth and 
Sumach streets. On one of these lots was a 
dwelling house, still standing, the lower front 
of which was turned into a hall for church 
services by removal of partitions. Here serv- 
ices were held for two years. 

In 1876 Mr. Mays was returned, by ap- 
pointment of conference, to the charge for the 
second year. In September, 1877, the Annual 
Conference met in Walla Walla in said hall. 
Bishop H. N. McTyiere presiding. J. W. 
Compton was appointed as pastor for the en- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



207 



suing year. Li 1S7S F. W. D. Mays was 
again appointed pastor of tlie charge, and in 
the summer of 1879 he sold the lot on which 
the dwelling house stood and erected the pres- 
ent church edifice. This was not entirely com- 
pleted until several years later. 

For se\'eral years subsequent to the last 
date the charge was without pastoral oversight 
except such as could be given by the presiding 
elder of the district. During the succeeding 
t\\enty years a number of pastors ser\-ed the 
charge, among whom were J. S. Burnett, W. 
T. Haggard, P. M. Bell, M. V. Howard, E. 
G. Michael, W. M. Fancher, A. Y. Skee, C. T. 
McPherson and E. P. Greene. Li September, 
1900, J. \Y. Compton was again appointed 
pastor of the charge. The jjoard of trustees 
consists of T. F. Ladd, J. B. Cash and J. M. 
Keeler. 

THE GERMAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 

The first religious denomination to provide 
for the maintenance of German preaching in 
A\'alla Walla was the Methodist Episcopal, and 
for a number of years it was alone in its en- 
deavor to maintain religious services in the 
language which constitutes the vernacular of 
so large a proportion of our citizens. The Ger- 
man Methodist Episcopal church of this city 
w-as organized in the year 1884, Rev. William 
Esslinger being the first pastor and Rev. F. 
Baum the first presiding elder. At that time 
the membership was so small as to preclude 
the possibility of erecting a church edifice of 
their own, su that services were held in the 
First Methodist Episcopal church. During 
the two years following 1884, however, the 
German population increased rapidly, and tlie 
necessity of a building for worship began to 
i)e urgently felt, as the membership of the so- 
ciety was also rapidly growing. Accordingly 



an effort to raise the required funds was in- 
augurated and persistently maintained until the 
society was the owner of a neat and commo- 
dious edifice, entirely free of debt. This build- 
ing, with the ground on which it stands, is 
now valued at about five thousand dollars. 

The church is in a prosperous condition, 
although, on account of changes in residence 
and other causes, the membership is not large. 
The Sunday-school is attended by about thirty 
cliildren, who are instructed in German. Rev. 
C. A. Wentsch is the pastor in charge at 
present. 

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

Revs. E. N. Condit, F. M. Boyd and Robert 
Boyd, graduates of Princeton Theological 
Seminary of the class of 1877 and commis- 
sioned as Home Missionaries by the Presby- 
terian Board of Home Missions, arrived in 
\\'alla Walla, Washington Territor_y, on June 
24, 1877. Rev. Mr. Condit immediately com- 
menced work, with the view of organizing a 
church, but after preaching six weeks w-ith 
good prospects of success crowning his efforts 
he was called to another field of labor. The 
work so well begun was continued by Robert 
Boyd, who preached for the first time in Walla 
Walla in the court house on Sabbath, August 
12, 1877. Rev. H. W. Stratton, S3-nodical 
missionary for the Synod of the Columbia, with 
the assistance of the Rev. Robert Boyd, effected 
an organization in Walla W^alla which con- 
stituted the First Presbyterian church of Walla 
Walla. The organization was composed of 
nineteen members. Services were held in the 
court house from November, 1877, until Jan- 
uary, 1882, then in the United Brethren church 
until November, 1884, when the First Presby- 
terian church was completed. 

From the organization of the church until 



20S 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



jMarcli, 1886, Rev. Robert Boyd acted as pastor. 
He was succeeded by Rev. T. M. Gunn, 
March. 1886, to June, 1888, Rev. E. M. Sharp 
from June, 1888, until March, 1891, Rev. L. 
M. Belden from Marcli, 1891, until Novem- 
ber, 1894. From that time until January. 1897, 
the church was without a pastor. The pulpit 



was supplied from time to time as the session 
could find supply. In January, 1897, the Rev. 
E. N. Condit accepted a call from the con- 
gregation, which position he held until his 
death, in June, 1900. Since that time the 
church has been supplied by different ministers 
af, the session could arrange. 



CHAPTER XX. 



FRATERNAL AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CIT OF WALLA WALL.A. 



Walla W'alla is pre-eminently a city of 
fraternal orders, and with very few exceptions 
the affairs of each are to be found in a flour- 
ishing condition. The various social and be- 
nevolent organizations in the city exercise 
their several functions and are numerically in 
harmony with the population of the "Garden 
City." 

FREEMASONRY. 

The time-honored order of Free and Ac- 
cepted Masons is represented in Walla Walla by 
two lodges, one chapter, a commandery and 
a chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star. 

Walla Walla Lodge, No. 7, F. & A. M., 
was brought into existence October 19, 1859, 
when the newly organized grand lodge of the 
territory of Washington granted a dispensa- 
tion to the following named citizens: C. R. 
Allen, Braziel Grounds, A. B. Roberts, H. N. 
Bruning, Thomas P. Page, Jonas Whitney, 
Charles Silverman, J. Freedman and R. H. 
Reigert. On the 3d of September, i860, a 
regular charter was granted to the lodge, the 
first officers to serve under the same being as 
follows: A. B. Roberts, worshipful master; 
J. M. Kennedy, senior warden: B. Sheidman, 



junior warden; T. P. Page, treasurer; W. B. 
Kelly, secretary; C. A. Brooks, senior deacon; 
J. Caughran, junior deacon; W. H. Babcock, 
tyler. 

In tlie summer of 1864 the lodge built a 
two-story frame structure on the corner of 
Third and Alder streets. Two years later the 
building was destroyed by fire and it became 
necessary for the lodge to hold its sessions in 
the assembly room of the Odd Fellows' Tem- 
ple. At a later date rooms were fitted in the 
Dooley Block, in East Main street, where the 
lodge has since had its headquarters, the same 
being known as the Knights Templar hall. 

At the present time the lodge has a mem- 
bership of seventy-five, and its financial affairs 
are in excellent condition. The officers of the 
lodge at the time of this writing are as fol- 
lows: T. S. Steel, worshipful master; Wel- 
lington Clark, senior warden ; L. S. Wilson, 
junior warden; Rev. Duncan Wallace, chap- 
lain; Joel Chitwood. treasurer; R. C. Gaston, 
secretary: H. J. Jones, senior deacon; Frank 
Jarvis. junior deacon; S. E. King, senior 
steward ; J. D. Jones, junior steward ; Mau- 
rice Murpliy. tyler. The regular meetings of 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



209 



the \\'alla Walla Lodge are held at the Ma- 
sonic hall on the first and third Mondays in 
each month. 

Blue Mountain Lodge, No. 13, F. & A. M., 
was organized April 20, 1868, by a number of 
members who" withdrew from Walla W^alla 
Lodge for this purpose. The first officers were 
as follows : Fred Stine, worshipful master ; 
Lewis Day, senior warden; William O'Donnell, 
junior warden; A. Kyger, treasurer; R. Guich- 
ard, secretary ; J. D. Laman, senior deacon ; 
E. S. Crockett, junior deacon; C. Herzog, 
tyler. The lodge is financially strong and at 
the present time it has a membership of one 
hundred, its officers being: F. M. Pauly, wor- 
shipful master; J. S. Schrock, senior warden; 
J. H. Stockwell, junior warden; H. E. John- 
son, treasurer; Y. C. Blalock, secretary; Rich- 
ard ]\IcLean, senior deacon ; C. N. McLean, 
junior deacon ; \Villiani Van Patten, senior 
steward; R. A. Horn, junior steward; James 
Dorr, tyler. The regular meetings of the lodge 
are held at the Masonic Hail on the first and 
third Mondays of each month. 

IValla Walla Chapter, No. i, R. A. M.— 
A chapter of the Royal Arch Masons, known 
as Walla Walla Chapter, No. i, was organ- 
ized September 20, 1871, with the following 
charter members : E. S. Kearney, J. H. Blew- 
ett, A. B. Elmer, Z. K. Straight, P. A. Pres- 
ton, T. J. Peabody, A. B. Carter, J. B. Dexter, 
Alfred Thomas and H. C. Paige. The first 
officers of this capitular body were : E. S. 
Kearney, high priest; E. B. Whitman, king; 
W. P. Adams, scribe; E. S. Crockett, captain 
of the host; A. B. Carter, principal sojourner; 
R. P. Olds, royal arch captain; Fred Stencil, 
master of the third veil; J. Shepherd, master 
of the second veil; W. S. Mineer, master of 
the first veil; Z. K. Straight, guide; W. P. 
Adams, treasurer; R. Guichard, secretary. 

14 



The chapter now has a membership of one hun- 
dred, and owns considerable property. Regu- 
lar convocations are held at the Templar Hall 
on the second and fourth Thursdays of each 
month. The present officers of the chapter are 
as follows : J. H. Stockwell, high priest ; Levi 
Ankeny, king; F. W. Rees, scribe; W. P. 
Winans, treasurer; W. E. Russell, secretary; 
Y. C. Blalock, principal sojourner ; Henry 
Osterman, captain of the host; D. T. Kyger, 
royal arch captain; J. S. Schrock, master of 
the third veil ; F. M. Pauly, master of the first 
veil; Maurice Murphy, tyler. 

Washington Comiiiaudery, No. i, K. T. — 
By a dispensation granted x\pril 19, 1882, and 
issued by M. E. Grand Master Benjamin Dean, 
of Massachusetts, authority was granted for 
the formation of a commandery of Knights 
Templar among the Templars in good stand- 
ing in Walla Walla and vicinity. A short time 
afterward the commandery was instituted with 
a good charter membership. The present offi- 
cers of the commandery (December, 1900) 
are as follows : J. L. Jones, eminent com- 
mander; Henry Osterman, generalissimo; F. 
M. Pauly, captain of the guard; G. W. Bab- 
cock, treasurer; Y. C. Blalock, secretary; G. 
H. Chamberlin, senior warden; W. E. Rus- 
sell, junior warden; D. T. Kyger, standard 
bearer; Levi Ankeny, sword bearer; G. H. 
Snell, warder; Maurice Murphy, sentinel. The 
commandery meets on the first and third 
Wednesdays of each month at Knights Tem- 
plar hall. 

Alki Chapter, No. 25, O. E. 5.— Alki Chap- 
ter, No. 25, Order of the Eastern Star, was 
organized in Walla Walla May 21, 1892, with 
the following charter members : Le F. A. 
Shaw, Emma E. Shaw, C. L. Whitney, Lizzie 
E. Whitney, J. L. Roberts, Ollie Roberts, G. 
H. Snell, Clara J. Snell, D. T. Kyger, Addie 



^lO 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Kyger, F. yi Pauly. ^lary Fauly. E. R. 
Parkes, Laura B. Parkes, Mary Masterson, 
Sadie R. McLean, J. C. Lewis, ]\Iary E. Lewis, 
and H. E. ^'annatta. At tlie present time the 
chapter has one hundred and one members, 
and is in an excellent condition financially. 
The regular convocations of the chapter are 
on the first and third Thursdays of each month 
at Knights Templar Hall. The officers (De- 
cember, 1900) are: Xettie M. Gibson. W. ;\I. ; 
F. M. Pauly. W. P.; Ida M. McLean, A. M.; 
Stella M. Hawley, conductor; Xora S. Rus- 
sell, A. S.; D. T. Kyger, treasurer; \V. E. 
Russell, secretary; Laura B. Parkes, chaplain; 
Ferdinanda Horn, Adah; Clara J. Snell, Ruth; 
'Gertrude Parmela, Esther; Elizabeth Hill, 
Martha: Lutie M. Stiles. Electa; Sarah J. 
Smith, warder ; W. E. Graham, sentinel ; Ad- 
die Kyger, marshal; Flora C. Stoekwell, or- 
ganist. 

THE IXDEPEXDEXT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS. 

Odd Fellowship has a very strong and en- 
thusiastic following in Walla Walla, where 
the order is held in high estimation and its 
standard well upborne. In this city is located 
the Odd Fellows' Home of the state, a finely 
.equipped and well-managed institution, and 
here also are maintained three lodges of the 
order, one encampment, one canton and two 
lodges of the Daughters of Rebekah. 

The second lodge of Odd Fellows in the 
territory of ^^'ashington was established in 
Walla Walla nearly forty years ago and has 
enjoyed uninterrupted prosperity from the be- 
ginning to the present time, while from this 
mother lodge have sprung other organizations 
equally representative in nature. Indeed, it 
may be said that this lodge first instituted in 
Walla ^\■alla really merits the distinction of 
iieing designated as Xo. i, instead of Xo. 2, 



inasmucli as the first lodge in the territory, 
Olympia, No. i, had surrendered its charter 
in 1861 and did not resume it until 1865. 

Enterprise Lodge, No. 2. — On the 24th 
of January, 1863, A. G. Hovey, grand master 
of the grand lodge of Oregon, pursuant to an 
application, granted and signed a dispensation 
authorizing and empowering ^Messrs. A. H. 
Purdy, James McAuliff. ^^'illiam B. Kelly, L. 
A. Burthey and ileyer Lazarus to organize a 
lodge of Odd Fellows in the city of Walla 
\\'alla, the same to be hailed and known as 
Enterprise Lodge, X'o. 2. The lodge was duly 
instituted on the 23d of February, 1863, with 
the gentlemen above named as charter mem- 
bers. The officers who first presided over the 
destinies of the new lodge were as follows : 
James -\IcAuliff, noble grand; William B. 
Kelly, vice grand; and A. H. Purdy, secre- 
tary and treasurer. E. B. Whitman was the 
first district deputy grand master and the first 
representative to the grand lodge. The fol- 
lowing interesting record concerning the lodge 
is taken from an article written by Alex. 
Mackay, in 1897: 

"As above stated, the first charter was 
issued by the grand master of Oregon, but the 
sovereign grand lodge subsequently decided 
that Oregon had no rights in a territory, so, 
on September 26, 1865, granted a new charter, 
under which the lodge worked until A\'ashing- 
ton became a state, when a new charter was 
issued from our own grand lodge, while H. 
E. Holmes was grand master and Le F. A. 
Shaw grand secretary. 

"When Enterprise Lodge was ushered into 
existence Odd Fellowship was a comparative 
stranger in the great northwest. Our first 
meeting was held in James Conlan's building 
on Main street near Fourth. Here we were 
burned out in 1864. without serious loss. \\'e 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



21 I 



then removed to what was then known as 
Roberts' Grove, where we rented a IniikUng 
jointly with the Masons, bnt this l^eing remote 
from the city, Brother J. F. Abbott fixed us 
up a lodge room on the premises now known 
as the Cayuse stable. Here the lodge was very 
prosperous for a time. Candidates were nu- 
merous and our sick few. Everybody had 
money then, and if perchance we found one 
poor and destitute, he was usually so from 
choice. Since that time things have changed. 
Li 1865 the ]\Lasons built a line hall on the 
corner of Third and Alder streets, and as our 
quarters were becoming too small, we moved 
to this new hall, and again for a short season 
were prosperous and happy, until on the 4th 
of July, 1865, a fire broke out, which swept 
away that hall, together with our records, par- 
aphernalia, and all we possessed, except our 
written constitution, signed by the members 
as they were initiated. We then secured new 
quarters over Brechtel's bakery, ])rocured a 
new outfit, and the good work continued. We 
husbanded our means, put our money where it 
did the most good, and finally, in 1880, were 
enabled to build our present fine Temple, on 
the corner of ]\Iain and Fifth streets, at a cost 
of about twenty thousand dollars, which is at 
present worth at least twenty-si.x thousand 
dollars. But it is not for sale, for it is a 
monument which Enteqirise Lodge has raised 
with its own hands and every Odd Fellow has 
cause to feel proud of it. The erection of the 
building was commenced in July, 1880 (the 
corner-stone was laid July 4th), under the su- 
pervision of the committee from the lodge con- 
sisting of E. W. Eversz, Samuel Jacobs, D. J. 
Coleman and Julius Wiesick, assisted by the 
trustees of the lodge, H. .Wintler, Edward 
Baumeister and Charles Able. The building 
-was completed in December, 18S0, and in Jan- 



uary, 1 88 1, we held our first meeting in our 
new hall, Brother H. E. Holmes, N. G., pre- 
siding. The lodge then had one hundred mem- 
bers, and the present membership is one hun- 
dred and fifty-three. Since the organization 
of Enterprise Lodge four hundred and five 
members have signed the roll. Of the pioneer 
members few are now left, viz. : E. B. Whit- 
man, Charles Besserer, Charles Able, Edward 
Baumeister, John Rehorn, H. Wintler and W. 
■ H. Brown. The pioneers and past grands, 
who took a prominent part in the early his- 
tory of the lodge, and who have died since 
1890, are: A. Schumacher, November 7, 1890; 
Peter Erickson, August 10, 1891 ; E. W. Ev- 
ersz, January 3, 1892; D. J. Coleman, June 
19, 1893; John Goudy, June 20, 1895; John 
F. Abbott, March 13, 1896. 

"Among those who may be classed as pio- 
neer Odd Fellows, who have been initiated or 
joined Enterprise Lodge by card, and are still 
active members, are : E. B. Whitman, Charles 
Besserer, Henry Kaseberg, H. E. Holmes, S. 
F. Henderson, Alex. Mackay, C. C. McCoy, 
Jacob Betz, Charles Able, W. H. Brown, John 
Rehorn, H. Wintler, Charles Cooper, James 
Mclnroe, Thomas Taylor, John H. Stahl and 
James Bryan. 

"At present the lodge has a number of 
young memliers who joined the order since 
1880, many of whom are past grands, and all 
of whom take an active part in the workings of 
the lodge." 

The lodge convenes regularly every Wed- 
nesday evening. Its present officers (De- 
cember, 1900) are: W. Jessup, noble grand; 
Thomas Taylor, vice grand ; Levi Ankeny, 
treasurer; Burt Moore, secretary; and John 
Cauvel, permanent secretary. 

Washington Lodge, No. 19. — On the 7tli 
of March, 1881, a dispensation was granted 



2i; 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



for the iirganization of this lodge in Walla 
Walla, and on the 19th of the same month 
the lodge was formally instituted, the follow- 
ing heing the charter members: Le F. A. 
Shaw, James McAuliff, Christian Sturm, Jo- 
seph Cherry, W. G. Alban, A. McAllister and 
L. J. Shell. The first officers were James Mc- 
Auliff, noble grand; Christian Sturm, vice 
grand ; and Joseph Cherry, secretary. A regu- 
lar charter was granted to the lodge on the 
iitli of May, 1882. Its present membership 
numl)ers one hundred and twenty, and its af- 
fairs are in a most prosperous condition. Those 
incumbent of the official positions at the pres- 
ent time (December, 1900) are: G. E. Bar- 
nett, nol)le grand ; C. W. Scott, vice graml ; 
J. W. McGhee, Jr., recording secretary; and 
Le F. A. Shaw, financial secretary. The lodge 
meets on Thursday evening of each week, at 
the Odd Fellows' Temple. 

The following facetious description of the 
institution of Washington Lodge was com- 
posed by Dr. Belcher and read by him on the 
twelfth anniversary of the institution of the 



lodge. 



On March 19, in '81, 

At close of day, or set of sun, 

A hand of seven determined men, 

And one old goat assembled then. 

When all were there, the door was shut. 

The goat prepared his hardest butt. 

The men were bound his butts to dodge, 

That all might live to form a lodge. 

The N. G., which is " Noble Grand," 

And not " no good, " you understand, 

Was James McAuliff, and his \'ice, 

That is Vice Grand (now that sounds nice 

To speak of vice as being grand, 

In any place in Christian land) 

Was one Chris Sturm, who filled the place, 

And met the goat with smiling face. 

The next, I'm told, was Joseph Cherry, 

Our first recording secretary, 

And one you all know well, I ween 

Within these walls he's oft been seen. 

Le F. A. Shaw the goat then tried, 

And around the room he went astride. 



The hearts of all were in a flutter 
To see the strength of this old butter. 
Stronger than any ever seen. 
Stronger than oleomargerine. 
And also here, the truth to tell, 
This goat could butt as hard as — well 
As any goat of solemn face. 
Who knows his business in this place. 
William G. Alban to the front, 
A butt, a yell, a groan, a grunt. 
Then James McAuliff took his turn, 
The name of Odd-Fellow to earn. 
He stepped out quick, he felt so elad. 
He met that goat and then felt sad. 
Alexander, not he called the Great, 
But McAllister, came to meet his fate. 
The last to meet the goat and yell. 
Was one all know, Larkin J. Shell. 
That old goat knew his business well, 
He'd served his time the truth to tell. 
This little band, this honored few, 
Joined hands, a noble work to do, 
And also then they swore, forsooth, 
To live in friendship, love and truth. 
Were called Odd Fellows, every one. 
And named their lodge for Washington, 
The father of our country, great. 
Likewise our great and growing state: 
A name I think appropriate. 
For Washington, like all great men, 
Was made the butt of tories then. 
But all we think, as time goes past, 
"That he laughs longest who laughs last." 
My muse is tired, likewise my throat, 
I'll stop before you bring the goat. 

Trinity Lodgc^ No. 121. — This lodge was 
instituted on the 30th of April, 1892, when 
W. G. Alban, then special deputy grand mas- 
ter, assumed the chair, and with the aid of Le 
F. A. Shaw, grand secretary, and past grands 
from Enterprise Lodge, No. 2, and W'ashing- 
ton Lodge, No. 19, conducted the work of 
institution. The charter members of the lodge 
were Past Grand James P. Goodhue (who was 
a member of the jurisdiction of British Co- 
lumbia), C. C. Gose, \\'. H. Flagg, F. W. 
Kaser, F. D. Kimmerly, ^I. H. Gilliam, P. B. 
Hawley, C. W. Fredericks and J. Carter 
Smith. After tlic new officers had taken their 
stations fifty-one propositions for membership 
liv initiation and two bv card were received 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY, 



213 



anil acted upon. Forty-seven candidates were 
initiated and given all the degrees and two 
were admitted by card. The first officers of 
the lodge were: W. H. Flagg, noble grand; 

F. D. Kimmerly, vice grand; J. Carter Smith, 
secretary; and P. B. Hawley, treasurer. The 
lodge has flourished from the beginning, both 
numerically and financially, having eighty 
names upon its membership roll at the present 
time. The officers for the term ending De- 
cember 31, 1900, are as follows: Alvin Bos- 
ton, noble grand; \V. A. Koontz, vice grand; 
J. Carter Smith, secretary; and Victor Hun- 
ziker. treasurer. The regular meetings are 
held on Monday evening of each week, and 
are very interesting and instructing. The lodge 
is composed to a very large extent of young 
men, and the}^ show an enthusiastic interest 
in its work. 

IValla IValla Eiicaiupmcitt, No. 3. — The 
local camp of this branch of the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows was organized on the 
28th of March, 1881, by W. D. Plants, the 
following named being the charter members : 
H. E. Holmes, E. W. Eversz, Edward Bau- 
meister, W. H. Brown, Samuel Jacobs, Charles 
Abel, John Goudy and J. Q. Osborn. Since 
the organization of this encampment it has 
grown rapidly, and is now in a flourishing 
condition, having one hundred and tliirty bona 
fide members. The regular meetings are held 
on the second and fourtli Tuesdays of each 
month, at the Odd Fellows' Temple. The 
present officers of the encampment are : O. T. 
Cornvvell, C. P. ; J. A. Riffley, H. P. ; T. N. 
Bryan, S. \V. ; Alvin Boston, J. \Y. ; Le F. A. 
Shaw, scribe; and W. A. Koontz, treasurer. 

Canton IValla Walla, No. i, Patriarchs 
Militant, was instituted April 12, 1886, by H. 
E. Holmes, grand patriarch, assisted by W. 

G. Alban, grand representative, and Le F. A. 



Shaw, past grand representative and grand 
scribe. The charter members were W. G. Al- 
ban, captain ; F. D. Boyer, accountant ; N. Cas- 
tleman, sentinel ; and C. H. Kaseberg, picket. 
The principal officers in charge at present are: 
\y. H. Meyer, (acting) captain; Charles L. 
Whitney, clerk; Le F. A. Shaw, accountant. 

N'arcissa Rcbckah Lodge, No. 2, was in- 
stituted October 31, 1885, by H. E. Holmes, 
then deputy grand master, the charter mem- 
bershii) numbering thirty-five. The present 
membership is about one hundred and five, and 
the officers now in charge are : Mrs. Ratie 
McClees, noble grand; Mrs. Mary McKean, 
vice grand ; Mrs. Lizzie Bellingham, record- 
ing secretary; Herbert Osgood, financial sec- 
retary; Mrs. Sarah Gray, treasurer. 

Bcc Hive Rebekah Lodge, No. /O, was in- 
stituted March i, 1895, by Mrs. Emma E. 
Shaw, past president of the Rebekah assembly, 
with twenty-three charter members. The 
present membership is about one Hundred and 
twenty. The officers in charge at ])resent are: 
Mrs. Alma L. Krack, noble grand; Mrs. Mar- 
guerite Mullinix, vice grand; Mrs. Mary G. 
Vinson, recording secretary ; Mrs. May Bos- 
ton, treasurer. 

WELCOME LODGE, I. 0. O. F., OF DIXIE. 

It is fitting to include here a sketch of the 
Odd Fellows Lodge of Dixie. The names of 
members who compose the chartering of Wel- 
come Lodge, No. 117, I. O. O. F.. of Dixie, 
Washington, on March 26, 1892, were as fol- 
lows : Officers — W. J. Cantonwine, N. G. ; 
R. G. Clancy, Y. G. ; Marion Roger, R. Sec; 
Charles Cochran, Per. Sec. ; Adelbert Coch- 
ran, treasurer; R. A. Stockdale, warden; J. E. 
;\Iyers, conductor; Joseph Reed, R. S. N. G. ; 
J. M. Sanders, L. S. N. G. ; N. J. Walters, 
R. S. V. G.; A. A. Magrunn, L. S. V. G.; 



214 



HISTORY OF WALIA WALLA COUNTY. 



B. C. Roff, inside guard; G. \V. Sanders, O. 
G. ; L. Lanning, R. S. S.; Isadore Cocliran, 
L. S. S. jMcnibers — P. Dcmaris, J. \Y. Davis, 
Samuel Brooks, W. IL Johnson, Orin De- 
maris and Orlando Demaris. 

The order of L O. O. F. at this place has 
prosj)ered, having added since organization 
fifty-nine members, and has now in good stand- 
ing fifty-three members. A larger hall had to 
be built for the accommodation of its mem- 
bers, which was completed in 1893, size 30X 
65, two stories, the upper being used exclu- 
sively for lodge purposes, the lower for a gen- 
eral merchandise store and doctor's office. The 
building cost about thirty-five hundred dullars 
comi)letc, including furnishings. 

The Rebekah branch of Dixie, Washing- 
ton, was instituted March 24, 1893, with a 
membership of about eighteen, having added 
since about forty members. They are doing a 
grand work, giving their time, talent and 
means in fitting up a room in the Odd Fel- 
lows" Home at Walla Walla, furnishings to 
cost about one hundred dollars. 

ODD fellows' home OF WASHINGTON. 

Crowning the system of Odd Fellowship 
in the state of Washington is the noble insti- 
tution which we now take briefly under re- 
view, Walla Walla being signally favored by 
having the home located witliin her corporate 
limits. At a session of the grand lodge of the 
state, held in 1893, a special committee was 
appointed to consider the advisability of estab- 
lishing an Odd Fellows' home in this jurisdic- 
tion, and to determine, so far as possible in 
an incidental way, some appropriate method 
for its establishment and maintenance. The 
committee rendered its report at the annual 
session of the grand lodge in 1894, recom- 
mending the establishment of such a home and 



offering suggestions as to the most expedient 
way of establishing and maintaining the in- 
stitution. The report of the committee, with 
slight modifications, was adopted, whereby the 
rule was established that to secure funds for 
the establishment and maintenance of the 
home a semi-annual per capita tax on subor- 
dinate lodges be levied, and recommending 
that encampments, lodges and individuals 
make such voluntary contributions in aid of the 
home as their means and benevolence mig'it 
prompt. At this session of the grand lodge 
that body elected a board of managers, con- 
sisting of five of its members, the same to be 
known as the "Board of Trustees of the Odd 
Fellows' Home," and to whom are entrusted 
the supervision and management of all mat- 
ters pertaining to the home, under the direc- 
tion of the grand lodge, to which the board 
is required to make an annual report. Definite 
l)lans for the securing of necessary funds for 
carr3-ing forward the work were formulated, 
and the grand lodge also adopted a series of 
ten resolutions "defining the mode of proceed- 
ings to the establishment of the home," from 
which we quote as follows : 



First — Resolved, That tliere is hereby authorized to 
be established and maintained in this jurisdiction an Odd 
Fellows' Home for the care and support of the aged, in- 
firm and indigent members of the Order, who shall be in 
good standing in their respective subordinate lodges in 
this jurisdiction, and the dependent widows and orphans 
of Odd Fellow's m good standing of this jurisdiction. 

Ninth — Resolved, That any member of a subordi- 
nate lodge domiciled in the Odd Fellows' Home as a 
beneficiary thereof, shall not be entitled to receive from 
his lodge the usual benefits paid by his lodge to sick and 
disabled members; neither shall he be required, while re- 
maining at the home, to pay dues to his lodge. When a 
beneficiary member withdraws from the home, he shall, 
equally as other active membi rs, be subject to all provi- 
sions of the constitutions and by-laws of his lodge. 

Tenth — Resolved, That while a member of a subor- 
dinate lodge remains a beneficiary inmate of the home, 
he shall continue to be a silent or honorary member of 
his lodge, unless suspended or expelled for cause, under 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



215 



the laws of the orcU-r, and liis lodge shall be exempt from 
the payment of dues on his account for grand lodge 
revenue. 

Resolved, That for a beginning of the establishment 
of a fund for an Odd Fellows' Home, there be and hereb\ 
is levied a special semi-annual tax of ten cents per capita 
on each subordinate lodge in this jurisdiction, the first 
payment being due and payable December 31, 1894, on 
its membership for the preceding term ending June 30, 
l.^D-l. 



The members of the board of directors 
were as follows: J. M. Swan, F. A. Twichell, 
Z. M. Ceebe, W. P. Harris and E. L. Powell, 
and upon their organization Mr. Swan was 
chosen president and Air. Twichell secretary. 

At the session of the grand lodge in 1896 
the board of trustees submitted its report, rec- 
ommending, among other things, that the 
grand lodge should at that session select, or 
authorize to be selected, a site-location for the 
home and also "authorize such proceedings as 
may be necessary to establish and prepare the 
home for the reception and care of inmates." 
The report of the board was referred to a spe- 
cial committee of fi\-e members, who, in sub- 
mitting their report to the grand lodge, rec- 
ommended that the board of trustees of the 
home be authorized and empowered to receive 
and accept the best proposition, in their judg- 
ment, that may be offered them for the loca- 
tion of the home. The committee also recom- 
mended that one trustee be chosen from the 
Rebekah assembly, in place of the officer whose 
term expired that year. Later it was reported 
to the grand lodge that the Rebekah assembly 
had elected Emma E. Shaw, past president, 
as such trustee, her term to cover five years. 

The propositions for home sites tendered 
within the time prescribed by the grand lodge 
were from the Odd Fellows of Tacoma, Cen- 
tralia and Walla Walla, and as the last men- 
tioned was eventually accepted, it is appro- 
priate that we incorporate a description of the 



same, as quoted from the first annual report 
of the board of trustees, issued in 1898: 



This consisted of five acres of land (in what is known 
as the H. P. Isaacs' tract, and is within the city limits) 
and four thousand dollars in cash, or six and one-halfi 
acres with three thousand dollars in cash. The land in 
this tract, although limited in area, is superior in quality 
of soil. A stream known as Mill creek runs across it 
toward the rear end of the tract, with conditions favorable 
to placing there a hydraulic ram and elevating water to 
any part of the premises for irrigating or other purposes. 
This tract of land fronts (466 feet) north on Boyer avenue^ 
from which it has a gentle and even slope southward 
toward the creek at the south end. 

The Walla Walla Water Company agreed to furnish 
the home with a permanent supply of four hundred gal- 
lons of water free, provided the buildings were located on 
the Isaacs tract of land. This supply was supposed suffi- 
cient to meet domestic requirements. 



At a meeting of the board of trustees, held 
in Tacoma September 5, 1896, the Walla 
Walla proposition was accepted by a vote of 
four to one. Plans and specifications for the 
building were soon secured and the work was 
pushed vigorously forward, the contract for 
the erection of the home being eventually 
awarded to N. F. Butler, of Walla Walla. 
At a meeting of the board held in June, 1897^ 
J. M. Swan, then president of the board, was 
selected "to have the charge and care of the 
home and premises connected therewith, and ta^ 
enter upon his duties as such as soon as conven- 
ient after the home building, under present 
contract, shall be completed." The building 
was completed in the summer of 1897, accord- 
ing to the terms of the contract, and was duly 
accepted by the board of trustees. The home 
was opened for the reception of inmates on 
December i, 1897. 

The home premises and building are thus 
described in the first annual report of the 
board of trustees (1898), but since the issuing- 
of the same many improvements have been 
made about the place : 



2l6 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



The premises are located well within the city limits, 
fronting northward on Boyer avenue, with a frontage of 
four hundred and sixty-five feet, and extending south- 
ward to include six and one-half acres ot ground. Mill 
creek crosses the property about two-thirds distance 
from front to rear. The gradint; that has been done 
lately on the grounds renders the surface now quite even, 
■with a gentle slope from front towards the rear, as far as 
the creek. It lays well for irrigating when water is applied. 
The soil here is said to be moderately rich and product- 
ive: it is permeated with more or less alkali, is of a very 
light texture, leaching moisture rapidly, and frequent 
rains or artificial irrigation is necessary to make it yield 
fairly of vegetables, or of any plants that do not root 
deeply. We have one No. 6 hydraulic ram now in use, 
sending water to a tank in the top of the home building 
and to the barn also. This furnishes an ample supply 
for domestic purposes. We are now placing a No. 10 
hydraulic ram and pipes to supply water for irrigating 
purposes. In this dry soil and climate this is necessary, 
as no amount of labor will produce abundantly — espe- 
cially of vegetables — without a fair supply of water. A 
good sidewalk, six feet wide, and a neat fence are laid 
and built across the entire front, with a row of shade trees 
planted outside the walk. A good walk, six feet wide, 
extending from the building to the avenue, with a gate 
in front, is also placed. A front lawn, 80x150 feet area, 
on the space from the building to the avenue. Two 
^ates suitable for carriage entrances, one at each end of 
ihe lawn, with drives to and around in front and rear of 
the building. A carriage entering at one gate may drive 
to the building at either front or rear, and by moving for- 
ward depart by the other gate, or by making the full 
circuit of the building, depart by the same gate where it 
entered. These gates and drives are deemed as very 
convenient and appropriately laid out. 

The area of the home building is 42x90 feet, the 
basement is 8 feet 6 inches clear, floor to ceiling, the 
superstructure is two full stories and an attic story, which 
over its entire area is very suitable for dormitories, mak- 
ing it practically a four-story building. Its construction 
was, by contract, let to Mr. Norman F. Butler for the 
sum of 85,609. The specifications for its construction 
<under the contract) called for the setting off of two 
rooms in the basement (one for kitchen and one for store 
room or any purpose desired), the complete finishing of 
the first story in accordance with specifications and plan 
of rooms, etc., flights of stairs from bottom to top story 
of the building, all windows put in place, the laying of 
under (or first) floor in the two upper stories, and setting 
the hall studding and some cross or partition stud- 
ding; also that the building throughout should be wired 
for electricity and piped for water and gas, and a 460-gal- 
lon tank be placed in the upper part of the building 
ready for water connection. The contract for the con- 
struction of the building excepted the inside finishing of 
the two upper stories, which was left to be done at a sub- 
sequent time. 



The first story of the building is suitably divided 
into convenient rooms and apartments as follows: Seven 
bed rooms, a spacious room for dining hall, a reception 
room, a well lighted and spacious room for general use 
of inmates as library, card room, smoking room and gen- 
eral sitting room. 

A section is conveniently set off in one corner of 
the building, where there are two bath rooms, a recess 
with two fixed marble wash basins, a closet for storing 
linen, etc., and two toilet closets. The water system in 
its connections and distribution is very good and the 
supply for domestic purposes is more than ample for 
present needs. 

The original superintendent of the home, 
as has already been noted, was J. AI. Swan, 
and during his regime Airs. Dora Busbridge 
officiated as matron. The present superintend- 
ent is E. J. Colvin and Airs. Colvin is matron. 
The home has from the start been admirably 
conducted and is a distinctive honor to the 
Odd Fellows of the state. From the time of 
the opening of the institution to the present 
date (December, 1900) there have been ad- 
mitted as inmates eleven brothers of the order, 
one widow and thirteen orphans. Within 
this period three brothers, one widow and six 
orphans have left the home, and four brothers 
have died there. 

In conclusion we find it apropos to define 
tlie general object of the home, and this is 
succinctly given in Rule i, adopted by the 
board of trustees. We also append Rule 2, 
which defines the qualifications for admission: 

Rule 1. This home is not founded, and is not to be 
used, as a hospital for the care of persons temporarily 
disabled by sickness or accident. It is established for the 
care and maintenance of members of the order who are 
unable to earn a livelihood, by reason of infirmities of 
age and the chronic afflictions incident thereto; and are 
in indigent circumstances, without other means of sup- 
port, and of the infirm and helpless wives or widows of 
brothers; and of helpless orphans of members of the 
order, who are without other and proper provision for 
their care and education. 

A member of the order who is in standing and has 
maintained membership for two consecutive years in 
some lodge in the jurisdiction of Washington, and who 
from protracted disease or accidental injury has become 



'f 




I-— ^ 



I FT 




E' 



T' 




Odd-Fellows' Home, Walla Walla. 




Walla Walla City Hall, Police Headquarters and Fire Station. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



217 



so enfeebled as to be incapacitated to earn a livelihood 
(and being without proper means of support), such inca- 
pacity being seemingly permanent, and being certified to 
by a reputable physician, may be admitted to the home 
as a member thereof, on due application and recommend- 
ation of the lodge wherein such membership is held. 
Such persons upon being admitted to the home will be 
cared for in sickness and in health, while they remain 
members thereof, and will be required to relinquish all 
claims upon their respective lodges for benefits, as a con- 
dition of their admission to and support in the home. 
The funeral expenses required by the constitution and 
by-laws shall be paid to the home on the death of a mem- 
ber of the order who is a member thereof; unless the 
lodge wherein the deceased held membership shall im- 
mediately upon the death of such member remove the 
remains and conduct the funeral, or cause the same to 
be done. 

Rule 2. Members of the order to be entitled to ad- 
mission and become members of the home, as of right 
must be infirm and indigent as herein above set forth. 
Each must be at the time of admission, and for at 'least 
two years previous to such admission, a member of the 
order in standing within the jurisdiction of the grand 
lodge of Washington, I. O. O. F., and such member must 
present to the board of trustees, or to its authorized com. 
mittee on admission, a proper application to be admitted 
to, and become a member of the home, showing the fact 
of such membership in the order, date of admission to the 
lodge, rank therein, age of the applicant, and the fact of in- 
ability for self-support by reason of intirmitv and being 
without other means of support; requesting with the 
recommendation of his or her lodge to be admitted to the 
home, and that as a condition of being admitted, all 
claims for benefits while there are relinquished by the 
applicant. All such applications for admission must be 
recommended by the lodge, certified by the signatures of 
the noble grand and secretary, and be attested with the 
seal of the lodge wherein the applicant holds member- 
ship; and if admitted the application shall be preserved 
among the records of the home. 

Aged, infirm and indigent wives of aged, infirm and 
indigent Odd Fellows in standing in this jurisdiction, and 
the aged, infirm and indigent widows of Odd Fellows 
who, at the time of their death, were members in standing 
of lodges in this jurisdiction, may be admitted to the 
home upon satisfactory proof of the facts, by due appli- 
cation as above required, and subject to the same condi- 
tions as above provided for brothers. 

Orphans or half-orphan children of members of the 
order who are, or who, at the time of their death, were 
members in standing in some lodge in the jurisdiction of 
the grand lodge, I. O. O. F., of Washington, such children 
being under fourteen years of age, and without other 
suitable homes or means of proper care and support, may 
be admitted and cared for in the Odd Fellows' Home 
upon such proofs as shall be required by the board of 
trustees, to be furnished by either subordinate or Rebekah 



lodge. It is provided that all adult applicants for admis- 
sion to the home shall be of good, moral and temperate 
habits. Blank applications for admission to the home, 
appropriate for the respective classes above named, may 
be obtained upon application to the secretary of the 
board of trustees or to the grand secretary. 

YOUNG men's institute. 

The local council of this fraternal order 
was organized on the 15th of January, 1896, 
with a charter membership of thirty-two. The 
first officers were: D. J. Morton, president; 
N. S. Sullivan, first vice-president; J. Mc- 
Ouade, second vice-president; T. S. Scally, 
recording secretary; Byron Lutcher, financial 
secretary; Adolph Bischoff, corresponding sec- 
retary; John Kremer, treasurer: Joseph Mc- 
Bride, inside sentinel; Alonzo Murphy, out- 
side sentinel; W. H. Weber, John Dunnigan 
and M. J. Brennan, executive committee. The 
present officers of the organization are as fol- 
lows : T. E. Mason, president : Leo Ferguson, 
first vice-president; Joe LaFortune, second 
vice-president ; Joseph McGrath, recording sec- 
retary: William Ryan, financial secretary; 
John \\'agner, marshal; George Massam, treas- 
urer: Matthew Mooney, inside sentinel; Dr. 
Y. C. Blalock, medical examiner; Rev. M. 
Flohr, chaplain ; and Joseph Charrier, J. F. 
McAndrews and John Dunnigan, executive 
committee. 

UNITED ARTIS.\NS. 

The branch of United Artisans known as 
Crescent Assembly, No. 66, was organized in 
^^'alla \\'alla July 20, 1896, l)y Dr. Farnliam, 
with twenty charter memliers. The assembly 
at the present time has a membersliip of fifty 
and is steadily growing. Following are the 
officers: J. E. Ireland, D. G. M.; Mrs. Etta 
Macy, P. M. A.; W. A. Williams, M. A.; 
Delia Johnson, S. ; G. F. McGhee, I.; J. C. 



2l8 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Jones, secretary ; J. F. Stack, treasurer ; Mrs. 
Lena White, S. C. ; A. S. McDaniels, J. C. ; 
Ralph White, M. C; Dr. W. E. Russell, M. 
E. The lodge holds its meetings regularly 
on the first and third Tuesdays of each mpnth. 

THE NATIONAL UNION. 

This fraternal insurance organization es- 
tablished itself in the city of Walla Walla in 
March, 1S97, the organizer being Mr. A. H. 
Fowle, and the name by Avhich the local body 
is known being Marcus Whitman Council, No. 
730. At the present writing the membership 
numbers about forty, and the principal officers 
in charge of the council are : Fred Forrest, 
president; T. N. Bryan, vice-president; Her- 
bert Osgood, secretary; C. E. Gilbert, treas- 
urer. Like most of the orders in this city, 
the council is well supported, has plenty of 
money for expenses, and possesses a goodly 
supply of regalia and equipment. 

THE PIONEERS OF THE PACIFIC. 

This flourishing young order, whose su- 
preme lodge is located in Pendleton, Oregon, 
has firmly established itself in Walla W'alla, the 
local organization being known as Valley En- 
campment, No. 22. While membership is not 
confined to the first settlers of the Pacific 
coast, its degree work is commemorative of 
life on tlie plains during pioneer days, 'and 
one of its most important incidental advantages 
will be its keeping alive the memory of those 
stirring times. The charter under which the 
encampment exercises its authority bears date 
February 23, 1900, and was issued by H. K. 
Hines as supreme commander to the following 
persons, namely : Lillie M. Cox, commander; 
Edwin G. Cox, captain; Cantlace C. Bishop, 
chaplain; A. A. King, treasurer; Herbert Os- 
good, scribe; Emiline J. Aiabry, north scout; 



A. M. Pence, south scout; Nelson D. Cox, 
ancient guide; Addie Rasmus, messenger; 
Wesley Bailey, sentinel; Mary F. Jett, picket; 
Nelson L Blalock, Walter M. Ely, W. B. Mor- 
gan, Ruth Hales, Carrie Rudd, Charles Ea- 
gan, Milton B. Johnson, J. N. Jensen, Orsen 
R. Smith and others. The membership of the 
encampment at the present time numbers about 
forty, and the four principal officers now in 
charge are: E. G. Cox, commander; Mrs. 
Lillie M. Cox, captain; Herbert Osgood,^ 
scribe; A. A. King, treasurer. The organiza- 
tion is in a flourishing condition financially, 
and possesses an abundant supply of regalia 
and equipment. 

UNITED WORKMEN. 

Integrity Lodge, No. 26, Ancient Order of 
United Workmen, was organized in Walla 
Walla March 17, 1880, the charter bearing the 
same date. The following were the first officers 
and charter members: Le F. A. Shaw, P'. M. 
W, ; H. H. Brodeck, AL W. ; H. D. Chap:nan, 
F. ; J. F. McLean, O. ; C. E. Whitney, Rec. ; C. 
T. Thompson, Rec'r; C. S. Boyer, financial sec- 
retary; M. Wagner, G. ; F. J. Starke, L W. ; 
C. Sturm, O. W.; A. S. Nichols, A. L. Lor- 
enzen, W. B. Clowe, Charles Abel, E. S. Kel- 
log, J. C. Painter, William Jones, E. H. Mor- 
rison, M. Ryan, E. L. Heriff, P. B. Johnson, 
R. P. Reynolds, R. W. Mitchell, C. M. John- 
son, H. M. Porter, H. G. Mauzey, R. Stoot, 
Thomas Taylor, J. B. Welch, B. L. Baker, 

B. W. Taliaferro, J. \\ . Gray, A. Brodeck, 
J. H. Smith, W. C. Painter, J. N. Fall, Will- 
iam Vawter. The lodge is in a prosperous 
condition and has a membership of two hun- 
dred and seven. The regular convocations of 
the lodge are on the second and fourth Mon- 
days of each month. The present officers (De- 
cember, 19C0) are: A. J. Gillis, G. R. ; D. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



219- 



Wertheimer, Fin.; H. A. Blackman, master; 
J. W. Feilder, P. M.; Samuel Alaxon, Fore.; 
P. P. Pearson, Rec. 

DEGREE OF HONOR. 

Ida Lodge, No. 9, D. of H., derives its 
right to exist and perform its functions from 
a charter bearing date April 12, 1893, and 
signed by Oliver Hall, grand master workman, 
and J. M. Pickens, grand recorder. The per- 
sons to whom the charter was originally grant- 
ed are: Amelia Brodeck, P. C. of H. ; R. 
^Vertheimer, L. of H.; Allie E. Sloan, record- 
er; Jennie Sampson, receiver; K. B. Webber, 
L W. ; Ida K. Parks, C. of H. ; Mary B. Eich- 
ler, C. of C. ; D. Deane, financier; Agnes Vin- 
son, S. U. ; and Mary Stern, O. W. Under 
its authority they and their successors in office 
and the members who have fallen in line with 
them have maintained a prosperous and flour- 
ishing organization ever since. The place of 
meeting of this sorority is Knights Templar 
Hall, and the time the second and fourth 
Tuesdays of the month. 

WOMEN OF VVOODCR.\FT. 

The local circle of this sorority, known as 
Woody Glen Circle, Xo. 176, had its incep- 
tion on the 4th of February, 1898, jNIrs. Carrie 
Van Orsdell, of Pendleton, Oregon, grand 
guardian, being the organizer. On the char- 
ter are twenty-four names. The lodge has 
continued to prosper since its first meeting, 
and its membership has increased until it now 
numbers about forty-two. The order has re- 
cently installed its officers for the year 1901, 
the personnel of whom is as follows: Mrs. 
Eliza McDonald, past guardian; Mrs. Cath- 
erine Munson, guardian neighbor; Mrs. Nancy 
Koontz, banker; Mrs. Lutie M. Stiles, clerk; 
Mrs. Ollie Burke, advisor; Mrs. Virgie Bacon, 



magician; Mrs. May Vinson, musician; Airs. 
Katie Hall, attendant; Mrs. Elizabeth Cooper, 
inside sentinel; Z. Dimmick, outside sentinel; 
H. M. Hedrick, captain of the guard. The 
regular meetings of the circle are held in K. 
of P. hall on the first and third Saturdays of 
each month. 

WOODMEN OF THE WORLD. 

The Walla Walla Lodge of the Woodmen 
of the World was instituted in October, 1891, 
with the following officers : C. B. Stewart, 
C. C; Victor Wilson, A. L. ; R. T. Madrell, 
B.; S. W. White, C; W. C. Durham, E. ; 
T. S. Flowers, G. Since its organization the 
lodge has grown very rapidly and at the pres- 
ent time has over one hundred members in 
good standing. The regular meetings of tlie 
lodge are held on the first and third Tuesdays 
of each month. The officers (December, 
1900) are: D. J. Fry, C. C. ; J. R. Street, A. 
L.; H. N. Hedrick, B. ; C. I. Hall, C. ; M. 
Stiles, E. ; J. Vinson, W. ; J. W. Cookerly, S.; 
board of managers, G. C. Harris, W. T. Kirk- 
man and M. Stiles. 

FORRESTERS OF AMERIC.V. 

Court Ez'ciiiiig Star, No. ?5, was organ- 
ized in Walla Walla in January, 1896, with 
twenty-five charter members. Those who 
served as first officers were : J. W. Cookerly, 
C. R.; Marvin Evans, S. C. R. ; A. Mellin, 
treasurer; J. E. Thomas, F. S.; Herman 
Krack, R. S. Though cjuite young, the lodge 
is in excellent condition financially, and its 
membership has grown to about one hundred 
and forty. The lodge owns property valued 
at twelve hundred dollars. The officers are : 
A. K. Durant, C. R. ; J. H. McDonnell, S. C. 
R. ; Henry Sampson, treasurer; J. C. Cauvel, 
F. S. ; H. Osgood, R. S. The lodge is honored 



220 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



by tlic position of one of its members, J- W. 
Cookerly, wlio is at present grand chief ranger 
of the order for the state. Regular convoca- 
tions of tlie members are iield on Friday of 
each week at Odd Fellows' Temple. 

THE KXIGHTS OF rVTIII.VS. 

\\'alla \\'alla was the first city north of 
San Francisco to be favored by the establish- 
ment of a subordinate lodge of the Knights 
of Pythias. Of the organization and early his- 
tory of this lodge, which was known as Ivan- 
hoe Lodge, No. I, but little can be said, as 
the same has long since surrendered its char- 
ter and the records are not accessible to the 
compiler of this volume. Certain it is that it 
grew and flourished for many years and did 
not go out of existence until anotlier lodge 
had been established to which the interests of 
Pythian Knighthood in this locality could 
safely be entrusted. This is known as Colum- 
bia Lodge, Xo. 8, and was instituted on the 
23d of October, 1882, by authority of a dis- 
pensation granted by the grand lodge of Ore- 
gon, the organizer being Past Chancellor Jo- 
seph \\'eitz, of Friendship Lodge, Xo. 9, of 
The Dalles, who was assisted in the work by 
members of the old Ivanhoe Lodge, N'o. i. 
On the charter are forty-four names. The 
lodge has continued to prosper e\er since its 
incipiency. and ikiw has more than one hun- 
dred members in good standing. It is one of 
the richest K. of P. lodges in the jurisdiction. 
The first officers were: Past chancellor, S. A. 
Deckard; chancellor commander. W. M. 
Geddes; vice commander, H. S. Young; prel- 
ate, Robert Gerry; master of finance, P. P. 
Pearson; master of e.xchequer, Robert G. 
Parks; keeper of records and seal, E. P. Ed- 
sen; master at arms, ^^'illiam Leslie. The 
present officers are: C. C. Robert G. Parks, 



P. S. R. ; \'. C, Joseph Lenderman; P., Jacob 
Schubert; M. of W., C. A. Walter, P. C; 
M. of Ex., A. P. Pearson, P. C; M. of F., 
H. E. Johnson, P. C. ; K. of R. and S., T. D. 
S. Hart, P. C. ; M. at .\.. W. K. Deattie : inner 
guard, X. P. Miller; outer guard, F. j\I. Up- 
dike; trustees, Hans Ronier, P. P. Pearson 
and T. J. Rose. 

R.\THBONE SISTERS. 

Mistletoe Temple, No. 2^, Rathhonc Sis- 
ters, was organized and instituted April 6, 
1900, by Mrs. Alary Baker, of Colfax, AI. Ex. 
G. C. of the state of Washington, assisted by 
members of Waitsburg Temple. The first and 
present officers are : Most excellent past chief, 
Sarah Lambert; most excellent chief, Lizzie 
Games ; most excellent senior, Susan Kees ; 
most excellent junior, Annie Clement; M. of 
T., Gilliam Bartness; M. of R. and S.. Agnes 
Halter; M. of F., Bertha Hart; G. of I. T., 
Maggie Mclnroe; G. of O. T., Elizabeth Schu- 
bert. The membership of the order at the 
time of its inception numbered twenty-five. 

L.\DIES OF THE XI.VCC.VBEES. 

Garden City Hive, A'o. 4S, was organized 
February i, 1899, by Mrs. Catherine Powers, 
state deputy. The original membership num- 
bered twenty-eight persons, but the hive has 
increased numerically until there are now 
forty-five names on its roll. The officers in 
charge at present are: Mrs. Lizzie Crowe, lady 
commander ; Mrs. Mary Rogers, past lady com- 
mander; Mrs. Mary Evans, lieutenant com- 
mander; Mrs. Viola Harding, record keeper; 
Mrs. Lida Bentley, finance keeper; Mrs. Sally 
Smith, chaplain; Mrs. Abbie Caldwell, ser- 
geant; Mrs. Maden, mistress at arms; Mrs. 
Martha Ebert. sentinel; Mrs. Abbie Thomp- 
son, picket. The hive exercises its authority 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



221 



at the present time under charter bearing date 
November 5, 1900, and granted to the follow- 
ing officers, namely: Mary M. Woodworth. 
past commander; Amy A. Rogers, lady com- 
mander; Ellen M. Augustavo, record keeper; 
Lida Bentley, finance keeper; Sallie H. Smith, 
chaplain; May Evans, sergeant; Evie John- 
son, mistress at arms; Martha Ebert, senti- 
nel ; Nancy Baker, picket. This sorority is in 
a prosperous condition financially, and pos- 
sesses an abundant supply of regalia and equip- 
ment. 

THE MODERN WOODMEN OF AMERICA. 

This largest of all fraternal insurance or- 
ganizations first established itself in Walla 
Walla on October 29, 1897, when Mountain 
View Camp, No. 5,096 was instituted under 
dispensation of the head camp of the United 
States, granted to J. L Brown, one of its dis- 
trict deputies. Forty-three persons were ini- 
tiated into the mysteries of woodcraft on the 
first meeting night, and before all preliminar- 
ies had been arranged ten more were induced 
to join the order, so that there are in all fifty- 
three names on the charter. The camp has 
grown steadily since its inception, its mem- 
bership now numbering about one hundred 
and si.xty-five neighbors in good standing. 
There are also at this writing perhaps twenty 
persons awaiting initiation and adoption. The 
personnel of the officers elected for the ensu- 
ing year as follows : J. Jennings, venerable 
consul; B. S. Wadsworth, worthy advisor; 
G. S. Bond, clerk; C. S. Buffum, banker; 
Charles G. Shumway, escort; Drs. Russell, 
Owens and Stiles, camp physicians; A. C. T. 
Shelden, watchman ; John E. Johnson, sentry ; 
L. L. Reynolds, delegate to head camp. Under 
the efficient leadership of this able corps of 



officers the camp will undoubtedly continue to 
prosper, and a healthy growth in membership 
and influence may be confidently predicted. 

IMPROVED ORDER OF RED MEN. 

This fraternity established itself in Walla 
\Valla on May 18, 1898, when Walla Walla 
Tribe, No. 23, was instituted and initialed into 
the mysteries of the order, the organizer being 
J. L. McMurray, deputy great incohonee. On 
the charter are sixty-eight names, and the 
membership has steadily increased until it 
now exceeds one hundred and forty. The per- 
sonnel of the first officers was as follows: J. 
M. Hill, sachem; John R. Stockton, senior 
sagamore; A. W. Bennett, junior sagamore; 
Le F. A. Shaw, P. G. S., prophet; J. Carter 
Smith, chief of records; John Bachtold, keeper 
of wampum. Those presiding at present are: 
J. O. Snyder, sachem; J. M. Smith, senior 
sagamore; E. P. Palmer, junior sagamore; 
J. J. Schiffner, prophet; J. Carter Smith, chief 
of records; John Bachtold, keeper of wampum. 
The tribe is in a very flourishing condition 
financially and has regalia and equipment ga- 
lore. Its membership continues to increase 
rapidly. 

DEGREE OF POCAHONTAS. 

loka Council, No. 10, D. of P., was insti- 
tuted on April 14, 1900, by John M. Hill, great 
sachem of the great reservation of Washing- 
ton, the charter membership nuniljering thirty 
four. The first and present officers are : Emma 
E. Shaw, prophetess; Elizabeth B. Hill, Poca- 
hontas; Flora C. Stockwell, Wenonah; Lula 
M. Schwarz, keeper of records; Fannie Bach- 
told, keeper of wampum. This council is, not- 
withstanding its youth, in a very prosperous 
and flourishing condition. 



222 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



THE ROYAL ARCANUM. 

Jl'alla Walla Lodge, No. 1594, was insti- 
tuted on the 4th of May, 1896, and its char- 
ter was issued on the 26tli day of the same 
montli, granting to John N. AIcGhee, Jr., 
Allen H. Reynolds, Joseph C. Scott, Albert 
L. \\'illis, William R. Crifiield. Edwin S. Clark, 
01i\er T. Cornwell, NVilliam H. Kirkman, 
Ernest R. Stending, Walter AL Ely, John A. 
Beard, Osias P. Jaycox, William C. Dibblee, 
Harry O. Kelso, Herbert C. Gregg, Charles 
E. Burrows, Bazil W. Schell, Amos K. Dice, 
Thomas L. H. Bowman, Lewis L. Tallman, 
Arthur C. Cornwell and Charles E. Nye the 
right to initiate persons who may be accepted 
for membership by ballot of the fraternity, 
and to do all other acts and things which a law- 
fully constituted lodge of the Royal Arcanum 
may of right do. Under authority of this 
charter the lodge has been exercising its func- 
tions ever since, and at present it is in a duly 
prosperous condition. It meets on the second 
and fourth Tuesdays of each month in the 
S. of \'. hall. The officers for the year 1901 
are as follows : Regent, Edgar Lemman ; vice 
regent, W. C. Dibblee; orator, W. D. Lyman; 
past regents, J. W. JklcGhee, J. C. Scott and 
Edgar Lemman; secretary, J. C. Scott; col- 
lector, J. W. McGhee; treasurer, B. W. Schell; 
guide, R. L. Brittain; warden, E. A. Knight; 
sentry, A. F. Kees. 

INDEPENDENT ORDER OF GOOD TEMPLARS. 

Morning Star Lodge, No. 2^6, L 0. G. T., 
had its inception in the fall of 1899, and for 
some time thereafter a flourishing lodge was 
maintained. Latterly, however, no meetings 
have been held, but a movement is on foot to 
revive the organization, and it is hoped that 
before many days have elapsed the lodge will 



again be vigorously at work. Its charter, 
which is dated September 14, 1899, was issued 
to the following persons, namely: M. E 
Brewer, Duncan Wallace, Eva Westfall, Nancy 
Wallace, J. C. Cornwell, Burt Owens, JNIrs. A. 
M. Hannaman, W. J. White, F. ^^■arren Jes- 
sup, J. L. Bauldwin, Mrs. A. C. Guinn, \'ictor 
Wilson, Hattie Chew, Maude Brewer, J. W. 
Brewer, Jennie M. Brewer, Fannie Gholson, 
Josephine Parker, George Hausman, Allen L. 
\\'inans. E. L. Waldron, Corwin Waldron, 
J. Kissler, Joseph Wallace and Emma J\Iay 
Bauldwin. The officers who had charge of the 
organization for the first quarter were : Mer- 
ton E. Brewer, chief templar; Nancy Wallace, 
vice templar; Duncan Wallace, chaplain; F. 
Warren Jessup, secretary; George Hausman, 
assistant secretary; J. Kissler, treasurer; E. 
L. Waldron, marshal; Joseph Wallace, deputy 
marshal ; J. L. Bauldwin, guard ; J. W. White, 
lodge deputy; Mrs. A. M. Hannaman, super- 
intendent juvenile temple; Burt Owens, past 
chief templar. 

GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC. 

A. Lincoln Post, No. 4, G. A. R., was or- 
ganized in ^^■alla AYalla on the 8th of Febru- 
ary, 1881, l)v J. 11. Smith, to whom a special 
dispensation had been granted. The following 
names appear on the charter: John H. Smith, 
John F. McLean, Parish B. Johnson, James 
i\I. Coolidge, R. P. Reynolds, Abram Ellis, 
James Howe, John A. Neill, O. F. Wilson, H. 
O. Simonds, Samuel Nulph. Charles Heim, 
Isaac Chilberg, A. D. Rockafellow, William 
Lesslie, F. F. Adams, F. B. Morse. R. M. Com- 
stock and Ambrose Oldaker, and the officers 
to whom authority was first entrusted were : J. 
H. Smith, commander; P. B. Johnson, senior 
vice commander; J. F. McLean, junior vice 
commander; O. F. Wilson, quartermaster; H. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



223 



O. Simonds, officer of the day ; Isaac Chilberg, 
officer of the guard; R. P. Reynolds, adjutant. 
The post has been in a flourishing condition 
tiiroughout the entire nineteen years of its his- 
tory, and is at present well supi)lied with regalia 
and equipment. Though the rules fnr determin- 
ing eligibility are such as to practically preclude 
an increase of memljership, A. Lincoln Post, 
No. 4, has iield its own well, the names on 
the muster roll at this date (January, 1901) 
numbering fifty-six. The officers installed for 
service during the year just opening are: B. C. 
Bedell, commander ; S. Baker, senior vice com- 
mander; Andrew Johnson, junior vice com- 
mander; R. P. Reynolds, chaplain; Robert Jen- 
kins, surgeon; E. W. Elliott, quartermaster; 
M. G. Parr, officer of the day; R. G. Coyle, 
officer of the guard; E. II. Nixon, adjutant; 
D. E. Earp, sergeant major. 

A LINCOLN RELIEF CORPS, NO. 5, 

Was instituted in April, 1886, with twenty- 
five charter members, the officer in charge of 
the organization and initiatory ceremonies 
being Mr. H. Carnes, commander of A. Lin- 
coln Post, No. 4, G. A. R. Some of the prin- 
cipal officers in charge of the corps during the 
first year of its existence were : Mrs. Jane 
Erickson, president; Mrs. Nancy Gregg, secre- 
tary; Mrs. Lizzie Crowe, treasurer. The 
lodge has flourished from the date of its incep- 
tion to the present, though the necessarily lim- 
ited number of eligibles for membership for- 
bid a rapid numerical growth. The persons 
constituting the present corps number about 
thirty-three, twenty-eight of whom are in good 
standing, and the officers who have been elected 
for the ensuing year are : Mrs. Abbie Caldwell, 
president; Mrs. Mary Baker, senior vice pres- 
ident; Mrs. Susan Clark, junior vice president; 
Mrs. Frank Bedell, treasurer; Mrs. Lizzie 



Crowe, sjecretary; Miss Cora France, chaplain; 
Mrs. Edith Birdsill, conductor; and j\lrs. Lida 



Brock, guard. 



THE SONS OF HERMAN. 

ScIiiUcr Lodge, No. 12, 0. D. H. S., de- 
rives its authority to exist and perform its 
distinctive functions from a charter dated June 
5, 1900, issued to thirty-three persons. The 
organization has flourished since its inception, 
and has enjoyed a healthy growth in member- 
ship. 

ORDER OF WASHINGTON. 

Whitman Union, No. ig, 0. of W., was in- 
stituted in Walla Walla in December, 1899, 
the date of its charter being December 26, of 
that year. The persons to whom the same was 
issued are the following, namely : Nancy 
Koontz, past president; Walter B. Brook, presi- 
dent ; Daniel Macy, vice-president ; James Z. 
Smith, secretary; William Koontz, treasurer; 
William Powell, chaplain; Emma E. Rogers, 
Mary ; Mrs. Margaret Mullinix, Martha ; John 
H. Wallace, conductor ; Donna L. Thomas, as- 
sistant conductor; Eva Magumm, assistant 
guard ; Thomas D. Foster, sentinel ; Dr. Walter 
M. Ely, medical examiner; John H. Bruer- 
statte, Matthew Wilkinson and John W. Foster, 
trustees. The lodge has been in active opera- 
tion ever since its inception, meeting regularly 
twice per month. The present membership 
numbers aliout fift\'. 

SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR VETERANS. 

On Thursday evening. May 24, 1900, the 
resident members of Company I, N. G. W., met 
at Armory Flail and organized General Law- 
ton Post, S. A. W. v., with the following as 
officers : Commander, W. B. Bufifum ; senior 
vice commander, T. D. S. Hart; junior vice 
commander, D. H. Roche; adjutant, L. P. Con- 



!24 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY, 



way; (luartonnastcr, IkMijaniin Goldman; chap- 
iain. Kcnnitli ^[cDowell; officer of the day, 
G. W. O'Neil; officer of the guard, C. S. Pres- 
ton ; trustees, C. F. Buffum and C. S. Timmons. 
At the present time the order in Walla Walla 
has sixty-two members. 

FRATERNAL ORHEU OF EAGLES. 

The Walla Walla Acric, No. 26, was or- 
ganized June iS, 1899, with a membership of 
fifty and in less than a year's time it had nearly 
three hundred members. The rapid growth 
of the order was due to the popularity of its 
enthusiastic supporters and the pleasant Sun- 
day evening convocations. The lodge at tiic 
present time has three hundred and forty mem- 
bers. The officers are : Oscar Cain, W. P. 
P.; John Smails, W. P.; Adolph Swart,^, W. 
T.; W. G. Campbell. W. S. ; H. S. P.landford, 
W. C. 

BUILDING ASS0CL\TI0N. 

The Inter-State Building, Loan and Trust 
Association was formed in Walla Walla, in 
1890, the main object being the mutual con- 
venience of both borrowers and lenders. The 
present officers of the association are : F. W. 
Paine, president ; William O'Donnell, vice- 
president; J. ]\I. Hill, treasurer; A. K. Dice, 
secretary; J. L. Sharpstein, attorney. 

THE WALLA WALLA GUN CLUB. 

The Walla Walla Gun Club was organized 
in Marcii, 1900, with a large membership. Im- 
mediately after the organization of the club 
grounds were procured at Fort Walla Walla 
and a gun house and targets were erected. The 
site is a typical one for the work of thee iub and 
is often frequented by visiting gun teams. The 
club hokls shoots regidarly on each Friday 
afternoon. On February 20, 1901, the annual 



election was hclil and other business done, as 
indicated in the appended newspajjcr excerpt. 

The Walla Walla Gun Club held its annual election 
of officers last eveninj;. The meeting was well attended 
and much interest was taken in the election. The new 
officers are: Z. K. Straight, president; John Justice, vice 
president; Will G. Campbell, secretary; Kred Martin, 
treasurer; John L. Sharpstein, captain. The executive 
committee is composed of the following members: Z. K. 
Straight, W. G. Campbell, J. L. Sharpstein, H. S. Baider- 
sone, and Wellington Clark. 

The club was organized a year ago this month with a 
healthy membership and during that time has grown 
rapidly. The names of sixty-seven sportsman are now on 
the membership roll. The club is considered one of the 
best in the state and boasts of a number of excellent 
marksmen. 

To- morrow afternoon the rifie and shotgun teams, 
which will represent Walla Walla in the match" shoot 
with Dayton next Sunday, will hold their last practice, 
and it is desired that all the members of the two teams be 
in attendance. The teams are confident of winning both 
events from Dayton. 



THE WALLA WALLA CLUB. 

On June 25, 1S90, fifty of the enterprising 
citizens of Walla Walla assembled in the coun- 
cil chamber for the purpose of organizing a 
club, the object of which should be the promo- 
tion of sociability and good fellowship among 
its members. "Sir. F. A\". Paine was chosen 
chairman of the meeting and ^Ir. Plenry Kel- 
ling, secretary. A carefully prepared consti- 
tution was oftered for the consideration of the 
proposed club, and after due deliberation the 
same was adopted. In accordance with its 
pro\'isioiis tlie following olticers were elected, 
namely, William Kirkman, president; F. D. 
Boyer, treasurer; J. L. Sharpstein, vice-presi- 
dent; Henry Kelling, secretary; Messrs. J. G. 
Paine, H. H. Turner, C. D. Ballon, J. L. Sharp- 
stein. T. R. Fastman. R. G. Parks. Frank 
Foster and Henry Kelling, governing commit- 
tee. Club rooms were opened on the third floor 
of the Rees-\\'inans building, and fitted up with 
billiard, pool and card tables, reading room. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



225 



etc. Tliese have been maintained continuously 
since. Tlie rooms are comfortably and taste- 
fully furnished, and would be a credit to a 
similar club in a much larger city than Walla 
Walla. At present the membership numliers 
about sixty-five gentlemen, and the officers 
now in charge are : Levi Ankeny, president; L. 
S. Wilson, vice-president; W. P. Winans, 
treasurer; Dr. W. E. Russell, secretary; R. C. 
Kerr, J. G. Paine, Dr. F. W. Rees, Dr. Y. C. 
Blalock, F. S. Dement, A. S. LeGrow, J. H. 
Stockwell. L. S. Wilson and Dr. W. E. Rus- 
sell, governing committee. 

THE WALLA WALLA CITY LIBRARY. 

There are few institutions which can be 
more potent for good in any community than 
a well-chosen public library, the effect of which 
naturally is to enable one to employ for his 
own elevation the hour which might otherwise 
be squandered in frivolities or worse than 
wasted in the mischief which idle hands will 
always find to do. The city of Walla Walla 
is especially fortunate in the possession of a 
very good library, comprising about three thou- 
sand five hundred volumes, and covering a 
wide range of subjects. As indicating the ex- 
tent to which the library is patronized, we may 
say that there are at present over nine hundred 
cards in circulation and that about forty vol- 
umes per day, on an average, are drawn out by 
the book-loving people of Walla Walla. One 
valuable feature of the library is its comforta- 
ble and commodious reading room, upon the 
tables of which all the leading magazines and 
many newspapers and other publications are 
to be found. For this splendid educational 
force the city is indebted largelj' to the Ladies' 
Reading Club, through whose exertions the 
major part of the initial thousand dollars' 
worth of property was secured. The library 

16 



first opened its doors to the public in November, 
1897, offering the free use of its 776 volumes 
to all residents of the city who would exe- 
cute an agreement to make good all books bor- 
rowed and ni)t returned, to pay promptly any 
fines for over-detention or injuries, and to com- 
ply with the rules. The library was and still 
is also available to those residing without the 
city limits upon payment of a nominal fee. The 
officers now in charge in the premises are 
Mrs. Margaret Center, librarian; A. K. Dice, 
Dr. E. E. Shaw and J. L. Sharpstein, directors. 

THE WOMAN^S READING CLUB. 

This prosperous and efficient organization 
had its inception in 1894, and it has ever since 
proved a forceful factor in the intellectual life 
and development of the city. To it more than 
to all other agencies combined Walla Walla 
is indebted for its already very respectable and 
rapidly improving free public library, for, 
though a start toward the establishment of a 
library had been before made, it was through 
tlie exertions of this club that the thousand 
dollars' worth of books and e(|uipments was 
secured, which was required by law as a con- 
dition precedent to its receiving municipal aid, 
The club has always fostered among its mem- 
bers a taste for the best literary productions of 
the best authors. Its announcement for the 
year 1901 outlines a thorough course of read-, 
ing in French history and literature. It shows 
a membership of twenty-nine, including many 
of the most intellectual and cultured ladies of 
the city. The officers now presiding are: 
Mrs. William E. Ritz, president; Miss Grace 
Greenwood Isaacs, vice-president; Mrs. Alvah 
Brown, recording secretary; Miss Mary Gil- 
liam, corresponding secretary; Mrs. Joseph 
Moore, treasurer. 



226 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



THE LADIES RELIEF SOCIETY. 

Tlie Ladies' Relief Society was organized 
in July, 1881, with Mrs. A. H. Reynolds, presi- 
dent; Mrs. J. H. Bauer, vice-president; Miss 
Martina Johnston, secretary; and Mrs. Rose 
Bingham, treasurer. The membership at the 
time of organization numbered sixty, and it 
has neither increased nor diminished since. In 
1885, the society was duly incorporated under 
the laws of the territory of Washington, and 
it has remained a corporate body ever since. 
During these long years of work, the society 
has furnished relief to many persons and fam- 
ilies, who, from some unfortunate circum- 
stances have found themselves without the 
necessities of life and temporarily without the 
opportunity to obtain the same. The society's 
finances are maintained by yearly dues in part, 
though money is also raised in various other 
ways, the most successful being the annual 
charity ball. 

The officers in charge of the society at i)res- 
ent are : ]\Irs. Thomas H. Brents, president ; 
Mrs. E. H. Smith, vice-president; Mrs. George 
Thompson, treasurer; Mrs. Levi Ankeny, Mrs. 
Thomas Moore, Mrs. \Villiams, Mrs. W. P. 
Winans and Mrs. H. Kershaw, trustees. 

W.\LLA WALL.V'S PART IN THE PHILIPPIXE 
WAR. 

When the call was made in the spring of 
the year of 1898 by the United States for vol- 
unteers many young Americans responded to 
their duty without the least hesitation, thou- 
sands leaving their homes of comfort and social 
ties to defend the flag that was more dear to 
them than a mother's love. This fact was no 
more thoroughly felt than in Walla Walla 
when not only Company C, X. G. \\'.. was 
mustered into service but as many as fifty 



3'oung men enlisted in companies of other 
towns. 

♦ Company C. whicli had been organized a 
number of years and had its full quota of men, 
was mustered into the service of the United 
States at Tacoma, ^lay 7, 1898. The com- 
pany was officered as follows : Captain, Will- 
iam B. Bui¥um; first lieutenant, ^l. C. Gustin; 
second lieutenant. T. D. S. Hart. Prior to 
April 30, 1898, the date when the company de- 
parted for Camp Rogers at Tacoma, great 
preparations were made for the event. In 
speaking of the occasion the Walla Walla 
L'nion in its issue of ]\Iay i, 1898, said: 

"The boys are off for the war. 'Old Glory' 
waved in the breezes from every business house 
in the city and the spirit of patriotism pervaded 
the heart of every citizen of Walla Walla when 
the people turned out en masse to bid the vol- 
unteers God speed. Either side of Main street 
was a mass of people and cheer after cheer 
went up as the soldiers proceeded. At the 
Washington & Columbia Ri\-er Railway depot 
the regulars from Fort Walla Walla came to 
a present arms and the \'olunteers passed up 
the line to the platform. There was hardly a 
dry eye in the multitude of people when the 
train pulled away. Women sobbed at the de- 
parture of a son or brother and gray haired 
men buried their faces and wept." 

After the company had arrived at Tacoma 
its name was changed from C to I and was 
known as Company I throughout the service. 

THE WELCOME HOME. 

On the morning of November 8, 1899, the 
city was wild with enthusiasm and anxious to 
welcome home the brave heroes. In reference 
to the day the Morning L'nion said: "Five 
thousand people assembled ?rt the W. & C. R. 
depot to greet the volunteers and welcome them 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



227 



to tlie home which eighteen months a^'o they 
left at their country's call, during which time 
they had served so nolily and gallantly. In 
recognition of their herioc services the citizens 
of Walla Walla prepared for them a reception 
on a gigantic scale never Iiefore attempted in 
this city, and every detail of the demonstration 
passed off successfully. The special train of 
six coaches pulled into the city promptly at eight 
o'clock and as the \'olunteers set foot on Walla 
Walla soil they received loud hurrahs from 
thousands of voices which echoed far and wide. 
After the hearty greetings had been exchanged 
a parade was formed and followed the course 
mapped out by the reception committee. Cap- 
tain Cheever, of the Sixth Cavalry, was grand 
marshal of the procession, assisted by Ralph 
Guichard, W. A. Bratton, W. A. Ritz, J. W. 
Langdon, Zeno Straight, John Albeit, Jr., and 
A. B. Hughes, as aides. The Walla Walla 
band came next in order, playing appropriate 



selections, and was followed by representatives 
of the Grand Army of the Republic, Army and 
Navy Union and veterans of the Indian wars. 
As these honored old men went plodding along 
trying to keep in step with the music they 
presented an impressive spectacle. 

"In direct contrast with these white haired 
veterans were the young volunteers who, so 
recently returned from the scenes of war, 
marched with quick, determined step and were 
received with a great demonstration. 

"Then came the most novel feature of the 
parade, the Chinese scjuad. Attired in rich 
colored costumes and bearing silk banners and 
big umbrellas thirty Celestials marched in the 
triumphial procession. The Chinamen ex- 
pended several hundred dollars towards their 
demonstration, which was voluntarily done not 
only as an evidence of their appreciation for the 
gallant heroes Init the action was prompted by 
a spirit of loyalty to their adopted country." 



CHAPTER XXI. 



THE JOURNALISM OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Journalism is an especially strong American 
idea. Free speech, free press, and free men 
usually go together. Some glaring evils of 
American journalism are plainly to be seen. 
The sensationalism, the advertising dodges, 
the policy-mongering, the partisanship, the 
slippery ethics, — all these are easily seen and 
justly criticized, but w-here is the American 
who would exchange the universal floods of 
light assured by a free press, in spite of tran- 
sient abuses, for the censored papers of Russia 
or the lethargic calm of Turkey. Democratic 



America would not be, without her free press. 
The journalistic history of Walla Walla 
has been essentially like that of other frontier 
American communities. Hardly had the first 
settlers secured the necessities of existence, be- 
fore some of them began to consider the advis- 
ability of starting a newspaper. It should be 
remembered indeed that a printing press was 
not an unknown thing even long prior to the 
beginnings of permanent settlement. In fact 
tiie first printing press ever used upon the Pa- 
cific coast found service in Walla Walla. This 



228 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



printing press was of the kind known as a 
Ramage printing, copying, and seal press, Xo. 
14. This press was sent from Boston by the 
American board of commissioners for foreign 
missions, to their missionaries at Honolulu in 
1819. Alter nearly twenty years service in the 
Hawaiian islands, the press, with type and 
paper, was sent by the missionary board to 
the Whitman mission. After a short period of 
service at the mission, it was moved again, 
this time to Lapwai, the mission in charge of 
Rev. H. H. Spalding. Mr. Spalding used it 
for nine years, and a remarkable use, too, he 
made of it. For he employed it to print trans- 
lations of portions of the Bible and other re- 
ligious literature in the Nez Perce tongue. In 
1848 this printing press was moved to Hills- 
boro, Oregon. After use for some time in 
Oregon it found a permanent resting place in 
the museum of the Oregon State University, 
and there after its unique and adventurous ca- 
reer, it remains on exhibition for the amusement 
of later generations. Such was the pioneer 
printing press of the Inland Empire. No others 
were introduced into the country until after 
the beginning of settlements in i860. 

The pioneer newspaper of Walla Walla 
and eastern Washington was 

THE WALLA WALLA PRESS. 

This was inaugurated by William N. and 
R. B. Smith. Smith Brothers had purchased 
a newspaper outfit of Asahel Bush, among the 
material being the old press of the Oregon 
Statesman, a paper published by Bush. 
Rather curiously, at that very time another old 
press, this one having belonged to the Orego- 
nian, was brought to Walla Walla by N. Nor- 
thrup and R. R. Rees. The two outfits arrived 
within two days of each other, but neither firm 
had had anv knowledge of the other's inten- 



tions. As soon as they recovered from their 
surprise they decided to unite and form what 
in modern times would be called a newspaper 
trust. As a result of the combination the first 
issue of the Washington Statesman ap- 
peared November 29, 1861. This was a week- 
ly paper, independent in politics, although 
Union in sentiment during the Civil war. One 
interesting thing to remember in regard to the 
launching of this paper is that in December of 
1 86 1 W. N. Smith made a horseback tour 
throughout Umatilla and Walla Walla coun- 
ties, and secured two hundred subscriptions at 
five dollars a piece, this number constituting 
nearly all the adult residents of this region. 
Smith brothers seemed to have made a success 
of their enterprise, considering the condition of 
the country. In July, 1862, S. G. Rees became 
a partner in the enterprise. The greatest step 
in the history of the paper was taken Novem- 
ber 10, 1865, when William H. Newell became 
editor and proprietor of the paper. The name 
was changed at that time to 

WALLA walla STATESMAN. 

Mr. Newell was in many respects a remark- 
able man. Although a Union man in politics, 
he supported President Johnson in the great 
struggle with Congress. The paper became 
from that time Democratic in politics. Quite 
early in the history of his connection with the 
Statesman, Mr. Newell undertook the policy, 
so often afterwards renewed, of establishing 
something more than a weekly paper. On Sep- 
tember 7, 1869, he began to issue a tri-weekly. 
It proved to be somewhat in advance of the 
times, however, and he was obliged to return 
to a weekly issue. In October, 1878. Mr, 
Newell started the daily Statesman, the first 
daily paper published in eastern Washington. 
This proved, however, to be the last act in the 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



229 



busy life of William H. Newell. He died sud- 
denly on the 13th of Novemlier follnwing. 

Mr. Newell was probably the strongest 
journalist in the early history of eastern Wash- 
ington. He was a man of very strong, pos- 
itive character, with warm friends and bitter 
enemies. He was not in the habit of mincing 
matters or wearing soft gloves when he un- 
dertook to reform an abuse or ventilate what 
he considered to be fraud or trickery on the 
part of his political or journalistic opponents. 
It is related by old-timers that on one occasion 
when he was stumping the country against 
Judge Caton he began his speech in this wise : 
"Fellow citizens, it is always a disagreeable 
task to skin a skunk. But sometimes this has 
to be done, and when the duty devolves on me 
I do not flinch, hard as the job may be. Fel- 
low citizens, I have got to skin a skunk here to- 
night. I propose to skin N. J. Caton." Caton, 
who was sitting on the platform, began to 
reach for his hip pocket, and the meeting broke 
up in general confusion. 

Following Mr. Newell in charge of the 
Statesman came one who was his match in 
unique and original qualities, and long recog- 
nized as one of the foremost journalists of the 
state. This was Colonel Frank J. Parker. 
Colonel Parker was born in England, and has 
had about as varied an experience as miner, 
scout, soldier, correspondent, and politician, as 
often falls to the lot of man. 

The daily edition of the Statesman was 
continued for a short time afer Colonel Parker 
became proprietor, but was found to be too ex- 
pensive for the patronage of the sparsely set- 
tled region of that time, and was discontinued. 
But in February, 1880, Colonel Parker again 
determined to attempt a daily. At that time he 
obtained the first steam-power printing press 
■e\-er used in \\^alla Walla. 



Colonel Parker was in control of the daily 
and weekly Statesman, with short intervals of 
absence, luitil June, 1900. .\t that time the 
paper passed into the hands of the Statesman 
Publishing Company, Dr. E. E. Fall being the 
chief owner. The paper was increased to an 
eight-page size, and is now the largest daily in 
the eastern part of the state or east of the 
mountains outside of Spokane. The present 
editor is Frederick R. Marvin, formerly of 
Spokane. The enterprise of the Statesman, 
in doubling its daily matter and in securing the 
complete Associated Press dispatches, and in 
providing in general a complete modern news- 
paper, has been rewarded b)^ a great increase 
in both its subscriptions and advertisements. 
It has long been felt by citizens of Walla Walla 
that the time had arrived for a first class 
paper in this portion of the Inland Empire. 
V'arious attempts have been made hitherto to 
reach this desirable end, Ijut, b)- reason of the 
proximity of Spokane, Portland, and the Sound 
cities, it has not hitherto been possible for an 
ambitious modern newspaper to gain financial 
support in Walla Walla. The present effort 
of the Statesman bids fair to meet with perma- 
nent success, and is hailed with satisfaction 
by the citizens of this county. 

WALLA WALLA UNION. 

This paper has been the opponent and rival 
of the Statesman throughout its career. A 
number of able newspaper men have been con- 
nected with the Union, but the one name 
which is at once suggested in connection with 
it is that of Captain P. B. Johnson. What 
Horace Greeley was to the Trilnme. that Cap- 
tain Johnson has been to the Union. 

The Union was founded by a company of 
Republicans, in November, 1868. The first 
number appeared on April 17, 1869. H. M. 



230 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Jiulsoii was odilnr. llinui^li the i>apcr was un- 
<.ler the CDiurnl of a j^eiKTal etiuiniittce com- 
posed 111' 1'. 1!. |ii!ins(in, 1^. C. Ross and J. D. 
Cook. R. M. Smith and F.. L. TTerriff be- 
came tlio owners soon after the inauj^nration of 
the paper and retained their tnvnersiiip for ten 
years. F. C. Ross snccceded Mr. Judsoii as 
editor, wiiicli [losition lie held for some si.x or 
seven years, wlien, in 1S76, Captain Joimson 
became etlitor. .\ few hiter Captain Johnson 
purciiased Mr. Smith's interest, and a few 
years hiter still became sole mvner and pro- 
l^rietor. 

As a journalist Captain Joimson became 
noted for his vigor and energy and uncom- 
proniising position on most questions of pub- 
lic concern, lie was a Republican of the 
stalwart onler. L'nder his energetic leader- 
ship, Republicanism in the county became ag- 
gressive and well organized, and the heavy 
Democratic majorities which had n\arkeil the 
earlier history were succeeded bv ecjuall}' em- 
phatic Republican majorities during the last 
two decades. In 1890 Captain Johnson disposed 
of his interest in the L'nion to Charles Resserer, 
who was then conducting the Walla Walla 
Journal, and I'or .some lime it was published 
under the name of the Union-Journal. Walla 
W'alla has had the satisfaction of possessing 
newspaiier men of uinque and strongly marked 
traits, but of all the peculiar and original char- 
acters that ever appeared in Walla Walla jour- 
nalism, it is safe to say that Mr. Besserer heads 
the list. Nature broke the mould after making 
him, anil ne\-er created another such. A Ger- 
man by birth, of Spanish ilescent, well educated 
in his native country, a soldier in the Crimean 
war, as also in the .\mcrican Civil war and in 
Indian warfare afterwartls. acting as manager 
a* various times for a bakery, a distillery, a 
hotel, postmaster, justice of the peace, a sheep 



man, a farmer, and lastly an editor, Mr. Bess- 
erer i)rcser\-ed his own unique personality 
throughout all his changes in circumstances. 
He was a writer of marked ability, and under- 
stood well the recpiirements of the newspaper 
business. No one could ever tell, however, 
wh.it he might pnduce, especially if it was a 
notice of a death. It used to be said that death 
had a double terror in Walla Walla, lest Mr. 
Besserer should write an obituary o"f the de- 
parted. 

^Ir. Besserer retained control of the l'nion 
until 1896, when he sold out to Herbert Gregg 
and Harry Kelso. These gentlemen conducted 
the Union with vigor and success, as a bed- 
rock, simon-pure Republican paper, having 
strong opinions of its own, and vet amenable 
to reason when party necessity seemed to ren- 
der it judicious. In 1899 Messrs. J. G. Frank- 
land, Loyil .\rmslrong and ISert La Due pur- 
chased the Union and conductetl it successfully 
for a year. In 1900 it again changeil hands, 
Levi Ankeny being the purchaser this time. J. 
Howard Watson, noted all over the state as 
the brilliant correspondent of the Seattle Post- 
Intelligencer, became editor iluring the political 
campaign of 1900, and he is still acting in that 
capacity. Mr. Watson is an editorial writer of 
exceptional \igor and intelligence, and has 
"made things hum" since he took up his abode 
in Walla Walla. 

Since the Union is a morning paper and 
the Statesman an evening, their rivalry is not 
quite so intense as it might otherwise be. The 
very great improvements in both papers during 
the jiast \"ear or two have caused a marketl 
falling off in the number of subscribers to the 
papers in the large towns of this state and of 
Oregon. The Union and Statesman have both 
profited in like ratio. At the present time their 
good natnrcil ri\alrv and occasional editorial 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



231 



"scorcliers" on eacli other, ha\e afforded en- 
tertainment to tlieir readers, and liave increased 
business for themselves. 

Although the Statesman and the Union 
have been emphatically the papers of Walla 
Walla, there have been a number of others of 
shorter life, hut wliich, in their own held are 
deserving of notice and commendation. 
Among these was the 

SPIlilT OF THE WEST. 

Founded in 1872 by J. W. Ragsdale. 
Charles H. Humphries was one of the editors, 
followed by L. K. Grim and Charles Besserer. 
Li 1877 Mr. Besserer became proprietor of this 
paper, and clianged its name to the Walla 
Walla Watchman. A few years later the name 
was again changed to that of the Walla Walla 
Journal, which ultimately became merged into 
the Uni(jn-Journal, as has already been stated. 

Among other newspaper ventures of the 
earlier time we may mention the Morning Jour- 
nal, of 1881, and the Daily Events, of 1882, 
both published by M. C. Harris. In 1882 also 
appeared the Washingtonian, edited and pub- 
lislied by W. L. Black. 

Among the papers of a later period may 
be mentioned the Garden City Gazette, es- 
tablished in April, 1894, by W. F. Brock, and 
tlie \\'atchnian, which was developed out of it, 
by J. J. Schick, both of which were conducted 
with much vigor and general success. During 
this period there were several short lived cam- 
paign papers, which produced no permanent 
effect on the journalistic history of the place. 
We present a more extended notice of the pa- 
pers published at the present writing, in addi- 
tion to those already described. 

THE SATURDAY RECORD. 

Among the newspapers the Saturday Rec- 
ord stands apart as being the only distinctive- 



ly local and society publication in the city of 
Walla Walla. Established in y\pril, 1894, by 
Wilbur Fisk Brock, under the name of the 
Garden City Gazette, it was two years later 
sold to J. J. Schick, who changed the name to 
the Watchman, and watched over the destinies 
of the [japer until the early fall of 1900, wdien 
Bert Eugene La Due and J. (i. iM-ankland, late 
owners of the Union, came into possession of 
the plant. The name of the publication was 
changed to The Saturday Record and material 
improvements were made. The plant was at 
once moved to commodious (juarters in the 
Bingham building. Alder street, and the old 
Watchman merged into an eight-])age weekly ; 
a typesetting machine was installed, and a 
complete job plant, besides other requisites to 
make an up-to-date office, purchased. The 
plant is equipped with one of the most modern 
dynamos, and every piece of machinery in the 
establishment is run by electricity. 

The Record enjoys a large circulation, both ^ 
in the city and also in the country, the subscrip- 
tion list having doubled inside of a few months 
under the new management. The paper is ag- 
gressive in the interests of home and home 
u])l)uilding, seldom touching upon other than 
local issues. The owners and publishers have 
in view, in addition to the many improvements 
already made, the bettering and enlarging of 
the paper and plant from time to time as con- 
ditions warrant. 

THE WEEKLY ARGUS. 

The latest aspirant for journalistic distinc- 
tion is the Argus. This was founded on Sep- 
tember 22, 1898, by Walter Lingerfelder and 
(". H. Goddard. The active and aggressive 
]jolicy of the .\rgus, its fearlessness in 
attacking anybody and everylwdy whom it 
believes to be alnising the confidence of 



232 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY, 



the people, soon made it a marked force 
in the county. In February, 1899, J. E. 
iMulhnix acquired the interest of Mr. Goddard, 
and he in turn sold out to Walter Lingen- 
felder, who thereby became sole proprietor. 
The Argus is published weekly and is inde- 
pendently Democratic in politics. The Argus 
has been edited with marked literary ability, 
and in pursuance of its avowed policy has not 
scrupled to attack evils both high and low, 
thus incurring the enmity of many politicians 
as well as gaining the interest of the general 
reading public. 

THE INLAND EMPIRE. 

Among the very creditable productions of 
the past year, published jointly at Walla Walla 
and Spokane, is a monthly magazine, known as 
the Inland Empire. This is published by A. 
H. Harris. It is a magazine of twenty-four 
pages, and is a publication of which any com- 
munity might well be proud. It contains elab- 
orate articles, of both historic value and high 
literary merit, upon the great resources and 
educational and other institutions of those por- 
tions of Oregon and Washington east of the 
Cascade mountains, together with the great 
state of Idaho. 

1 he papers of Walla Walla county, outside 
of the city, have of course not been numerous, 
inasmuch as Waitsburg is the only newspaper 
town in the county, outside of Walla Walla 
itself. 

THE WAITSBiJRG WEEKLY TIMES. 

This has been the leading and most of 
the time the only paper of Waitsburg for a 
period of twenty-four years. This paper orig- 
inated in a joint stock company formed in 1878, 
for the ])urpose of "booming" that part of the 
county. The first publisher was B. K. Land, 



and the first issue appeared in March, 1878. 
It was leased for a short term to D. G. Ed- 
wards, and later to J. C. Swash. In 1880 it be- 
came the property of C. W. Wheeler. Mr. 
Wheeler has been for many years one of the 
marked characters of the county. He was first 
a teacher by profession, and served as superin- 
tendent of schools in Walla Walla county, and 
also as territorial superintendent. After enter- 
ing upon the management of the Waitsburg 
Times he devoted himself unremittingly to 
journalism. In 1900 his two sons, E. L. and 
Guy Wheeler, assumed entire charge of the 
paper, giving their father a much needed rest. 
The Times is provided with an excellent brick 
building, excellent modern presses, gasoline 
engine, and all the other conveniences of pres- 
ent day journalism. In politics it is uncom- 
promisingly Republican. 

As is necessary to the life of newspapers, 
the Times has a Democratic rival, in the form 
of the 

WAITSBURG GAZETTE. 

This newspaper was founded in 1899, the 
first issue appearing on the 29th of June, of that 
year. R. V. Hutchins was editor and propri- 
etor. On the 7th of March, 1900, the paper 
passed into the hands of C. W. McCoy. On 
January i, 1901, he in turn sold out to J. E. 
Houtchins, who is conducting the Gazette at 
this writing as an up-to-date paper in an up- 
to-date town. As already indicated, this paper 
is Democratic in politics. It has already ac- 
quired a large circulation throughout Walla 
\\'alla and Columbia counties. 

In concluding this survey of the newspapers 
of Walla Walla, we may say that in no feature 
of the life of the county has there been a more 
marked elevation of standards, within the past 
few years, than in journalism. 



CHAPTER XXII. 



BENCH AND BAR OF WALLA WALLA. 



In going over the county records in search 
■of data for this summary of the most import- 
ant events in the legal history of Walla Walla 
county one is struck with the many changes 
that have taken place in the style and manner 
of pleadings and the form in which they are 
now and were then presented. Just as in the 
appointments of the court room with its con- 
venient arrangement and commodious apart- 
ments there has been a remarkable advancement 
in forty years, so in the manner of preparing 
and conducting a case and keeping the records 
there has been great progress. In the time 
of the old District court, when the First Dis- 
trict comprised practically all of eastern Wash- 
ington, holding sessions at Colville, Colfax, 
Yakima and Walla Walla, about all the lawyers 
made their homes in Walla Walla as did the 
Associate Justice of the Territorial Supreme 
■court. It was customary in those days for the 
judge to take a light wagon and a camping 
•outfit and start out in company with the lawyers 
to hold sessions in the other parts of his district. 
Each county or sub-division of the district 
had its own local officers, as sheriff, clerk and 
prosecuting attorney, who in matters of im- 
portance were assisted by the district attorney 
for the territory. Those who took part in 
these legal journeys tell many amu'sing stories 
of the times they used to have. Though par- 
taking of the nature of an outing they were by 
no means pleasure trips, as at each town where 



a session was held, business had been accumu- 
lating for from four to six months, and the 
train of lawyers who followed in the wake of 
the judge were under the necessity of getting 
up their pleadings and bringing the causes to 
issue in the short time alloted for that term of 
court. There was no time for dilatory meas- 
ures, demurrers, and motions to delay pro- 
ceedings, but every one had to get down to 
business. Sometimes as high as thirty or 
forty cases were disposed of, most of them be- 
ing actually tried. This necessitated night and 
day labor on the part of the attorneys and they 
had to swim hard or sink under the loads im- 
posed upon them. 

In Walla Walla the court used to be held in 
the building where Betz's Brewery now is and 
the site of the present court house was a pub- 
lic square where executions took place. When 
we go into the offices of the lawyers now prac- 
ticing in Walla Walla and see their well fur- 
nished rooms, large law libraries with com- 
plete sets of State and United States reports, 
encyclopedias and digests ; with their stenog- 
raphers and typewriters and other modern con- 
veniences ; when we see all these appliances for 
doing accurate and expeditious work, we can- 
not help contrasting them with the days when 
Frank Dugan was wont to read citations to fit 
any case out of the sole book that comprised 
his library, and Colonel George carried his 
briefs in the top of his silk hat, and all the legal 



234 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



knowledge he needed in liis spacious head. 
Tlien. too, as we listen to the urderlv carrying 
forward of a trial in the presence of Judge 
Brents we are reminded of the contrast pre- 
sented hy a tunuilt of jangling attorneys, and 
Judge Oliphant vainly endeavoring to main- 
tain order by shouting: "Gentlemen, the row 
must stop ! This court is getting roused, and 
when this court is roused, it's roused, and 
there's an end on't." Or we may be reminded 
of a scene in Judge Strong's court, where the 
attorneys are sitting with their feet cocked up 
on chairs and benches and the air is dense with 
smoke. Suddenly the court becomes aware 
that proper decorum is not being observed and 
he declares : "There is too much smoke in this 
room. If you lawyers want to smoke you can 
go outside, but since the court has got to stay 
here it can smoke." Nor has there been in 
recent years such an exciting event as the run- 
ning fight with six-shooters between Judge 
Langford and the Mullen Brothers, attorneys 
who practiced in Walla Walla fifteen or twenty 
years ago. 

The good old times when everyone wore 
red-llannel shirts and long six-shooters have 
passed away, and with thcni have gone the days 
when all legal documents were written with 
pen and ink on foolscaj) pajier, when pleadings 
were short and formalities were more honored 
in the breach than in the observance. But 
there was a sturdy manliness in those days, 
bred of the rough surroundings, that atoned 
for many shortcomings, and was distinguished 
by a sense of justice, untramnieled by prece- 
<lents and hairsplitting legal distinctions. This 
trait was strikingly illustrated in one of the 
familiar sayings of Judge Wyche. Whenever 
the distinction was between a close adherence 
to precedent and ethical right, he would decide 
in favor of the latter bv the remark : "If I am 



not technicallv correct, I think I am giving vou 
substantial justice." So while we are rejoicing 
in the vastly improved general conditions, we 
must not sneer at the primitive methods of 
those who went before, nor overlook their ster- 
ling virtues. 

Court was opened in the First Judicial dis- 
trict of the territory of Washington, and the 
first order was signed on the ist day of June, 
i860, with Associate Justice William Strong 
on the bench. The first order was one admit- 
ting Edward L. and Otis L. Bridges to prac- 
tice before the court. Edward L. Bridges was 
appointed first prosecuting attorney for Walla 
Walla county, and James Galbreatb was the 
first clerk of the court. Judge Strong held the 
position until the 21st of October, 1861, when 
Judge J. E. Wyche was appointed. Under 
Wyche, Galbreath still continued as clerk, and 
J. J. McGilvra was appointed prosecuting at- 
torney. Wyche was succeeded on April 4, 

1864, by Judge Oliphant. who appointed B. 
N. Sexton as clerk and B. Fargo, prosecuting 
attorney. Oliphant only held until April 10, 

1865, when Judge Wyche came back to the 
First Judicial district. Tn :\Iay. 1867, P. B. 
Johnson was appointed clerk and Frank Dugan 
prosecuting attorney. J. K. Kennedy was ap- 
pointed judge in 1869. on August 14th of that 
year. Under bini R. P. Reynolds was clerk 
of the court and A. J. Cain hekl the office of 
prosecuting attorney. On April 29, 1872. J. 
R. Lewis was appointed to succeed James K. 
Kennedy. Judge Lewis's appointment to- 
Washington Territory was the result of a pe- 
culiar circumstance. He had been on the su- 
preme bench of the territory of Idaho without 
any e.xpectation of making a change. Some 
of his jxilitical enemies put up a job on him 
to oust him from his position. They made out 
a resignation, forged his name to it and sent 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



23? 



it on to Washington, D.C. Thinking that it was 
genuine the ofificials there accepted the resigna- 
tion and President Grant appointed another 
man in Judge Lewis's place. When later it 
was discovered that a forgery had heen com- 
mitted and that Judge Lewis had not resigned 
at all, the president did not know what to do. 
It was at last straightened out l)y allowing the 
new man to take Lewis's place in Idaho and 
transferring him to the First Judicial district 
of Washington Territory. W. H. Andrews 
was chosen clerk and N. T. Caton, prosecuting 
attorney. S. C. Wingard was appointed on 
May 10, 1875, ^"<J '^sld the office for ten years. 
During his term of office he sentenced twelve 
men to be hanged, and all of them were exe- 
cuted, either legally or by the mob. Two of 
these legal e.xecutions took place in Walla Wal- 
la, the remainder being divided up among the 
other towns where Judge Wingard held ses- 
sions of his court. T. J. Anders was prosecut- 
ing attorney under Judge Wingard and A. 
Reeves Ayres clerk of the court. T. J. Anders 
has since distinguished himself as a jurist, hav- 
ing been on the Supreme bench of the state of 
Washington for nearly twelve years, and be- 
ing at the present time chief justice. A. Reeves 
Ayres held the position of clerk for ten years, 
the longest of any incumbent since the organi- 
zation of the county, and his handwriting as it 
appears on the records is superb. George T. 
Thompson, who is still living in Walla Walla, 
was also prosecuting attorney for several years 
under Judge Wingard. W^ G. Langford was 
appointed judge and took up his work on De- 
cember II, 1885. Judge Langford was the 
last of the district jpJges ;ui(l held his office 
until November 18, 1889, when Washington 
Ijecame a state and the superior court took tlic 
place of the district court. Under Langford 



E. K. Hanna was prosecuting attorney and A. 
N. Marion clerk of the court. 

Turning from judges to lawyers, we find 
among the attorneys of the county many of 
brilliant minds, distinguished throughout the 
state and in some instances of national repute. 
W. A. George, E. L. Bridges, O. L. Bridges, 
J G. Sparks, and J. D. Mix, the most noted. 
The first named. Colonel George, was one of 
the greatest characters in his way in the states. 

Among the attorneys practicing in a little 
later time before the old territorial court who 
have since attained distinction the name of 
Honorable John B. Allen is most conspicuous. 
For a long time he was district attorney for 
the territory and upon the admission of the ter- 
ritory to statehood he was elected as one of 
the first United States senators. In 1893 he 
came up for re-election, but the Turner forces 
caused a dead-lock and no senator was elected 
at that session. Since that time Mr. Allen has 
been connected with the firm of Struve, Allen 
and McMicken in Seattle. 

D. J. Crowley, now of the firm of Crowley, 
Sullivan & Grosscup of Tacoma, began his 
legal career before the district court in Walla 
Walla. Mr. Crowley now holds a leading 
position among the members of the bar of the 
state of Washington and enjoys a wide prac- 
tice. 

Supreme Judge T. J. Anders has alreadv 
been mentioned as having made his start in 
Walla Walla. Judges Kennedy and \\'ingard 
are both living in Walla Walla at the present 
time, enjoying a well earned retirement from 
active life. Judge Lewis moved to California 
and has since become rjuite wealthy. 

The first Judge of the Superior court of 
Walla Walla county was William H. Upton, 
who held the position from November i8th. 



236 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



1889, until January 14th, 1897. Tlie clerks 
of the court under Judge Upton were E. B. 
A\'hitman, H. W. Eagan (four years), and Le 
F. A. Shaw. The prosecuting attorneys under 
Upton were Wellington Clark, H. S. Blanford, 
]\Iiles Poindexter, and R. II. Ormsbee. On 
January I4tli. 181)7. J'^'lge Thomas H. Brents 
assumed the tluties of judge of the Superior 
court, and in November last was re-elected to a 
second term of four years. The clerks of the 
court under Brents have been J. E. Mullinix 
and Schuyler Arnold, and the prosecuting at- 
torneys, F. B. Sharpstein and Oscar Cain. 

It will be found of interest to briefly outline 
here some 

IMPORTAXT CRIMINAL CASES. 

A case that attracted wide spread attention 
at the time of its trial was the Thomas murder 
case, which was tried at the April term of the 
district court in 1880 during Judge Wingard's 
term of office. 

Thomas and his wife, together with S. \\'. 
Brumfield and his wife, passed through Walla 
Walla earl_\- in the year 18S0, on their way to 
the upper country. They went up by way of 
Texas Ferry and had not been gone very long 
when Thomas and his wife returned alone, 
saying that they had decided to go back to 
Kansas, and that Brumfield and his wife had 
gone on up to the upper country. Nothing was 
thought of it at the time although Brumfield 
was known to have had considerable money 
when he left Walla Walla. Early in April the 
bodies of Brumfield and his wife were found 
near Texas Ferry, and suspicion at once rested 
on Thomas and his wife as the murderers. 
They were arrested in Kansas and brought to 
Walla Walla for trial. N. T. Caton and D. 
J. Crowley defended them and R. F. Stur- 



devant and T. J. Anders conducted the 
case for the prosecution. The case was 
hotly contested on both sides and the de- 
fense produced a witness who swore point 
blank that he had seen Brumfield alive and back 
in Kansas since the time when he was alleged to 
have been murdered. The evidence was so 
overwhelmingly against Thomas and his wife 
that Judge Wingard called the prosecuting at- 
torney to him before the witness had finished 
his testimony and told him to make out a charge 
of perjury against him, and not to let him get 
out of the court house. The witness seemed 
very nervous while testifying and was in con- 
siderable of a hurry to get out of the court 
room when he had finished, but the sheriff 
met him at the door of the court room with a 
warrant and he was subsequently tried and sen- 
tenced to five years in the penitentiary for per- 
jury. Thomas and his wife had demanded 
• separate trials. In Thomas's case the jury 
brought in a verdict of murder in the first de- 
gree and he was sentenced to be hanged on 
January 4th, 1881. The scaffold was erected 
in the i)resent court house yard and the public 
schools were given a holiday to witness the 
execution. Before the fatal drop Thomas con- 
fessed the crime and took all the blame of the 
murder upon himself, exonerating his wife. 
In view of his confession and assumption of 
the blame the case against Mrs. Thomas was 
dismissed. Sheriff James B. Thompson per- 
formed the execution. 

THE ELFERS MURDER CASE. 

The next criminal case resulting in an ex- 
ecution was that of John Elfers for the murder 
of Dan Haggarty. Haggarty owned a saloon 
near Waitsburg. John Elfers, on October 27th, 
1883, created a disturljance and got into an al- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



237 



tercation with Haggarty's bar keeper. As he 
would not be quiet they put him out. He came 
back a second time in an ugly mood and was 
again ejected. Nothing more was heard of him 
for half an hour when without any warning 
a shot was fired from without and Haggarty 
fell forward dead. Although no one saw 
Elfers at the time of the shooting, yet he had 
been seen looking in at one of the windows 
just before the shot was fired. He was found 
in Walla Walla and put under arrest. He was 
defended by Ormsbee and Hanson, and the 
prosecution was conducted by George T. 
Thompson. He was convicted of murder in the 
first degree and hanged by SheriiT James B. 
Thompson on January 15th, 1884. Judge Win- 
gard was the presiding judge. There is some- 
thing gruesome about these old death warrants 
with their black border and sable seal when we 
think of the chill which they caused to pass over 
the condemned man's soul as he listened to the 
sherift' read the fatal words : "hanged by the 
neck until dead," and realized that his last hope 
was gone. As we look through the court 
records now we see these gloomy evidences of 
man's effort to mete our punishment to his fel- 
low man for wicked deeds, and they stand out 
as dark birds of ill omen to warn the would 
be criminal from his dangerous path. The ex- 
ecution of Elfers was the last legal execution 
to take place in Walla Walla county. 

THE TRI.\L OF MRS. MARY PYLE AND JOHN 
HURN. 



lodging houses, one the Aurora hotel, on the 
corner of Rose and Fourth streets, and the 
other over near the Sisters' hospital. On the 
night of March 13th, 1888, both of these 
lodging houses were burned down under very 
suspicious circumstances. A number of fires 
had happened about the same time that were 
believed to be of incendiary origin, and an in- 
vestigation was instituted to discover the cause 
of the burning of the Aurora hotel, since the 
life of a young man named Harrold had been 
lost in consequence. It developed that the fire 
had been purposely set and Mrs. Pyle and her 
son, John Hurn, were arrested on the charge 
of murder and arson. Mrs. Pyle stoutly main- 
tained her innocence but the evidence was too 
strong and both she and lier son were found 
guilty of murder in the first degree and sen- 
tenced to he hanged. A strong effort was made 
to save them by some parties who believed them 
innocent, but without avail, until Mrs. Pyle 
got the endorsement of the prosecuting officers 
by making a confession in which she owned up 
to entering into a conspiracy to burn the build- 
ing for the insurance. A stay of exectition was 
subsequently granted and later Governor Sem- 
ple commuted the sentence of both prisoners to 
life imprisonment. J. L. Sharpstein and George 
T. Thompson conducted the case for the de- 
fense and T. J. Anders for the prosecution. In 
January of this year (1901) Governor Rogers 
granted Mrs. Pyle a full pardon and she was 
set at liberty, but died soon after her release. 



Another case that resulted in a conviction 
and death sentence was that of Mrs. Mary J. 
Pyle and J. T. Hurn, her son, for murder and 
arson. 

Mrs. P}-le and a man named Clink, who 
was paying court to her at the time, owned two 



THE ROYSE MURDER TRIAL. 

The trial of Frank Royse for the murder 
of his grandfather is still fresh in the minds of 
Walla Walla iieople. The farm of Benjamin 
F. Rovse, deceased, is about ten miles from 



238 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



\\'alla Walla and situated near Dixie. On the 
8th of February. 1900, the house was burned 
and the old gentleman's body was burned with 
it. At first it was thought to be an accident 
that the old man had been caught in the tlames, 
but the coroner's in(|uest developed the fact 
that the charred remains bore evidence of 
Jiaving sustained a gun-shot wound. Frank 
Royse and his grandfather had had some trou- 
ble about financial matters and Frank had been 
seen around the house before it was burned. 
He was arrested on the charge of murder in 
the first degree. Royse was defended by Grif- 
fits, Dovell, Ormsbee and ?\lcKinney, and the 
prosecution was conducted by Oscar Cain. The 
evidence that Royse had murdered his grand- 
father when drunk and then to hide the crime 
liad burneil down the house was too strong to 
be successfully opposed, so the defense con- 
fined themselves to proving insanity, and en- 
deavoring to at least secure a verdict in a 
less degree. Evidence was produced to show 
that James Saylor, a great uncle of the defend- 
ant, was then in an asylum for the insane in 
Iowa, and that his mania was of a homicidal 
nature. Expert testimony was also produced 
as to Royse's mental condition at the time of 
the killing and subsequent thereto, tending to 
show that he was afflicted with the homicidal 
mania hereditary in the family. The jury 
lirought in a verdict of murder in the second 
degree, stating that the crime was committed 
while Royse was in a suftkienlly sane condi- 
tion to know what he was doing, but was with- 
out premeditation or deliberation. Judge 
Brents sentenced him to twenty years in the 
penitentiary. An appeal was taken to the su- 
preme court of the state, and pending a final 
decision granted the defendant the privilege of 
bail, which was set at the sum of ten thousand 
dollars. Royse was able to secure the required 



amount and is now at liberty. His case was 
argued before the court in February, 1901, 
but a decision has not yet been handed down. 

IMPORTANT CIVIL C.VSES. 

Isaacs I's. Barber. This was a case involv- 
ing the rights of the prior appropriator of 
water upon public lands. The action was 
brought by H. P. Isaacs to restrain George H. 
Barber from interfering with a dam which had 
been erected for the purpose of diverting water 
from Mill creek into a race, or flume, which 
led to the Isaacs flouring mill. The defendant 
justified his action under the claim of the right 
to have the waters flow past his place situated 
on said creek between the point where the 
water was di\'erted and plaiutifY's mill. Isaacs 
in the year 1862 had diverted the waters of 
Mill creek into his race and used it for the 
propelling power of his mill. At the time of 
the diversion the point at which his flume be- 
gan was on the public domain. Later when a 
man named Dodge purchased the land over 
which his flume ran he secured a ninety-nine 
year lease of the privilege of so conducting 
the water across the premises. He contended 
that he had the right to make the diversion by 
reason of his prior appropriation, and also 
from having secured the permission of the 
owners of the land to construct his flume and 
finally that there had been such open and noto- 
rious and continui3us use as to give title by pre- 
scription. Barber claimed that the right of 
prior appropriation did not exist as a part of 
the law or custom of the locality, and next that 
the grantor, Dodge, acquired the title prior to 
the act of congress of July, 1866, under which 
Isaacs claimed his right by priority of appro- 
priation. 

Isaacs won in the Superior court and it was 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



239 



appealed to tlie Supreme Court of the state, 
where it was tried in tlie Xoveniber term 
in 1894. 

The Supreme court held tliat the right of 
prior appropriation existed prior to the act of 
1866, and that congress in that act simply rec- 
ognized it. It was a part of the laws and cus- 
toms of the locality when the diversion was 
made. To the second proposition of the appel- 
lant (that the land having passed by absolute 
^'rant before the passage of the act of 1866, 
the title held for such riparian rights as were 
recognized by the common law of England), 
the court held that since the tract of land owned 
by appellant had come to him through a con- 
veyance from Dodge, who had for more than 
twenty years acquiesced in the appropriation 
made by Isaacs at a point upon his land, the 
appellant could not interfere with the appro- 
priation. The lower court was upheld in its 
decision. 

THE CASE OF DENNEY VS. PARKER. 

This was a case invoh-ing the right of at- 
torneys to compromise a suit without the con- 
sent of the parties thereto, provided their action 
is afterward ratified ; and also the right of an 
administrator to compromise a lawsuit involv- 
ing title to realty, without sul)mitting the mat- 
ter to the probate court for approval. 

Nathaniel B. Denney, administrator of the 
estate of Timothy P. Denney, deceased, was 
plaintiff and Hollon Parker, defendant. In the 
life time of Timothy P. Denney he conveyed 
the property in question, together with several 
other tracts to the defendant. Later on an ac- 
tion was brought by Denney to have it declared 
that the defendant Parker held these tracts 
of land in trust for him. The district court of 
the territory decreed as the plaintiff had asked 



and directed the defendant to make a deed of 
the i)roperty to plaintiff within a certain time. 
An appeal to the supreme court of the terri- 
tory was taken and the judgment of the dis- 
trict court affirmed. An appeal was then taken 
by Parker to the Supreme court of the United 
States. 

While the cause was still pending in the 
supreme court of the territory, Timothy P. 
Denney died, and his wife, Elizabeth Denney, 
the executrix of his will, was substituted as 
plaintiff. Before the matter came to a decision 
in the Supreme court of the United States a 
compromise was agreed upon whereby one 
tract of land was to be deeded to Parker and the 
rest was to be deeded to Denney. The terms of 
the agreement were complied with and an order 
made by the Supreme court of the United 
States dismissing the appeal. 

In 1894 Nathaniel B. Denney, as adminis- 
trator of the estate of Timothy P. Denney, 
deceased, brought suit to recover title to the 
property that had been deeded to Parker under 
the terms of the stipulation above referred to. 
He claimed, First, That the attorneys who 
signed the stipulation were not authorized by 
their clients to do so. Second, that under the 
statutes an administrator or executor has no 
right to compromise a suit without authority 
from the probate court; and Third, that even if 
such a compromise could be made in a suit not 
involving realty, it could not be done when the 
effect of the compromise is to pass title to real 
eslc-te. 

The superior court of ^^'alla Walla decided 
in favor of Parker in this instance and an appeal 
was taken to the supreme court of the state. The 
supreme court held that attorneys did have a 
right to make compromises affecting title to 
realty, provided their clients subsequently rati- 
fied their actions; and in the case in 



340 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



question the clients had so ratified the ac- 
tions of the attorneys. As to the second 
proposition the court made a distinction be- 
tween the compromise of claims by an ad- 
ministrator which had not yet come into 
court for settlement, and those which prior to 
the compromise had become involved in a case 
in court, holding that in the latter event a com- 
promise could be effected without reference to 
the probate court for ratification. The third 
contention of appellant was met by the court's 
holding that such power of compromising mat- 
ters already in litigation was not necessarily 
limited to cases which did not involve the pass- 
ing of title to realty. 

The decision of the superior court was af- 
firmed and Parker retained possession of the 
tract that had been deeded to him in conse- 
quence of the compromise. 

THE CASE OF THE CITY OF WALL.\ WALLA VS. 
THE WALLA WALLA WATER COMPANY. 

This was a bitterly contested case and at- 
tracted Avide-spread attention on account of its 
public character and the large interests in- 
volved. 

On March 15, 1887, the City Council of 
Walla Walla passed an ordinance to secure a 
supply of water, and granted, under certain re- 
strictions, to the \\'ater Company, for a 
period of twenty-five years, "the right to lay, 
place, and maintain all necessary water mains, 
pipes, connections and fittings in all the high- 
ways, streets and alleys of said city, for the pur- 
pose of furnishing the inhabitants thereof with 
water." The city also agreed not to erect water 
works of its own during that period of twenty- 
five years. 

After this contract had been in force for 
about six years and on June 20, 1893, an ordi- 



nance was passed "to provide for the construc- 
tion of. a system of water works" for the pur- 
pose of supplying water to the city and its in- 
habitants ; to authorize the purchase and con- 
demnation of land for that purpose, and to au- 
thorize the issuance of bonds to the amount of 
one hundred and sixty thousand dollars to pro- 
vide the necessary funds. This proposition was 
submitted to the freeholders and carried by a 
sufficient number of votes. 

The Water Company made application to 
tlie circuit court of the United States for the 
district of ^^'ashington for an injunction 
against the city to keep it from expending 
money or selling bonds to erect such a system 
of water works. The company won its case in 
the circuit court and the city appealed to the 
supreme court of the United States. 

The supreme court of the United States 
held that the case depended largely upon the 
power of the city under its charter. The ordi- 
nance authorizing the contract, which was 
passed in pursuance of the charter, stated that 
the contract could only be declared void by a 
court of competent jurisdiction, and that until it 
should be so voided the city could not erect, 
maintain or become interested in any water 
works except the one established by the com- 
pany, while the ordinance of June 20, 1893. pro- 
vided for the immediate construction of a sys- 
tem of water works by the city. Upon the face 
of the two ordinances there was a plain conflict, 
— the latter clearly impaired the obligation of 
the former. The court therefore held that the 
original contract of the city should hold and 
that the city had no right to construct water 
works of its own until the twenty-five years 
were up. The decision of the circuit court 
was upheld. 

This decision made it necessary for the 
city to adopt other tactics in regard to the 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



241 



Water Company. The only thing left for the 
city to do was to buy out the interests of the 
Water Company under a provision of the con- 
tract, and in 1899 a proposition was presented 
to the voters to bond the city for a sufficient 
amount to buy out the Water Company and put 
the control of the water system in the hands of 
the city. The proposition was carried and the 



city now owns its own system of water 
works. 

There have been many cases involving 
greater amounts than those we have mentioned, 
but we believe that we have given a summary 
of the most important cases from a legal point 
of view; cases which involved far-reaching 
legal principles. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



WALLA WALLA IN THE OLDEN TIMES. 



Early history in Walla Walla county is 
rich in materials for the story teller. It abounds 
in incidents, striking, humorous, tragic, and 
in characters ranging from the religious fa- 
natic to the missionary hero, from the wander- 
ing vagabond and highwayman to the upholder 
of honor and law who might well fill the hero's 
place in any romantic novel. Many eyewit- 
nesses of those stirring times are still living, 
and it is from the lips of such men tiiat the 
material for this chapter has been collected. 

The earliest history of Walla Walla coun- 
ty, as of the whole northwest, centers about the 
names of the old explorers, fur traders and mis- 
sionaries. Of their lives and achievements we 
have already spoken at length in previous 
pages. But of one notorious character in our 
early tragic annals, we find an interesting rem- 
iniscence, worthy of preservation here, given 
us by the kindness of Mr. John Seek, of Walla 
Walla. This pertains to the infamous Delaware 
half-breed, Joe Lewis, who was the chief in- 
stigator in the Whitman massacre. It appears 

18 



that this wretch had a place at one time on 
board a man-of-war, and for some reason had 
been put in irons. Having managed to escape, 
he landed, after many wanderings, in Califor- 
nia, whence he came and made his home among 
the Indians of Walla Walla. He acquired an 
extraordinary influence over these Indians, 
and was the direct agent in the Whitman mas- 
sacre, apparently impelled thereto by no other 
motive than pure villainy. After the massacre, 
Lewis told the Indians that he had been at 
Salt Lake City, and that the Mormons had 
promised to come and drive the whites from the 
Oregon territory. He said that he would go 
and bring the Alormons on this mission, if 
he were provided with the necessary number of 
horses. Accordingly the Indians gave him three 
hundred ponies. With three of four men to aid, 
he set out for Utah. While camping at Ameri- 
can falls, on Snake river, in Idaho, he shot every 
one of his companions and alone made his way 
to Salt Lake City, where he sold the ponies. 
Such is the story of the doings of Joe Lewis, 



242 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



as gathered Ijy Mr. Seek from one McDofa, 
who had come to this country in 1834, in tlie 
employ of the Hudson's Bay Company. 



No period in the early history of Walla 
AN'alla is more thrilling in character and inci- 
dent than the time when the Vigilantes were 
in their glory. Like every other city of the 
northwest in those days, Walla Walla had its 
quota of gamblers, thieves and general toughs. 
The courts soon became powerless to cope 
with the evil doers. There were regular gangs 
of cattle thieves organized, who would operate 
much in this manner : Some one of the gang 
would start a bunch of cattle away to a certain 
point, where another lay in wait, who would 
drive them on to still another relay, and so 
they would keep them in motion until they 
were clear out of the country. It became ?1- 
jnost impossible to run down the thieves, and 
when caught, there were so many of their own 
jiumber to witness in their favor that it was 
jiext to impossible to secure, conviction. In 
1864 and 1865 the Vigilantes organized, and 
then came a reign of terror to the evil doer. 
It suddenly seemed as though nature had 
granted trees a new and startling fruit, for it 
became a very common thing to see dead 
men's bodies dangling from limbs. In one 
month during the busy season thirty-two men 
were reported as ha\ing been mysteriously 
hanged. The common expression as men met 
on the streets on a morning was, "Well, whom 
ha\e we for breakfast this morning?" And 
it was a very rare thing when some unfortu- 
nate's name was not served up for discussion 
as having suffered the vengeance of the dread 
society. There w-as no escaping its clutches 
when once it set its seal upon a man. As one 
■old-timer expresses it, "There was only one 
way to get out of their hands, when once they 



had started for you, and that was to literally 
tiy." 

Probably no one knows and remembers 
more concerning those tragic days than Mr. 
Richard Bogle, who is to-day living in Walla 
Walla. In the early days he kept a barber 
shop on Maine street, where Miss Beine's mil- 
linery store is now located. In those days the 
citizens of the place made it rather hard for 
men of -\frican descent. A negro could not 
get a room at a hotel. He was not allowed 
to eat in a public dining room. He could not 
buy a cigar or a drink in a gin room without 
first taking off his hat and showing due rev- 
erence to the august vendor of the booze. 
Consequently it was customary for Mr. Bogle, 
out of the kindness of his heart, to allow col- 
ored strangers who happened to be in the 
town to occupy the rear of his shop, where 
they could keep warm and sometimes cook 
a meal. 

Among the sojourners in the rear of Bo- 
gle's barber shop was a young negro about 
twenty years of age, very tall and slender, but 
with muscles like steel. He had been dubbed 
with the appropriate title of "Slim Jim." He 
was a sort of pet among the gamblers and 
sporting men of the community, having been 
brought up as a general roustabout for the 
horse men, jockeys and sports. 

Two men had just garroted a man in the 
lot back of Charles Roe's saloon. This means 
that when that man was walking along he 
suddenly felt himself seized from behind and 
his arms securely pinioned, while in front his 
startled gaze fell upon a man with a long 
knife, ready to slit- him open if he offered 
resistance. Thus at the pleasure of the rob- 
bers he was soon relieved of any gold dust or 
other valuables that he possessed. The two gar- 
roters in the case just mentioned were "Si.x- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



243 



toed Pete" and a pal. After being robbed 
the victim gavt the alarm and officers were 
soon in pursuit. The criminals were finally- 
captured and brought back and lodged in the 
jail, which was a small, weak structure stand- 
ing on the present site of the. court house 
Now the brother of one of the prisoners was 
a well-to-do saloon-keeper. Calling Slim Jim 
to him, he explained the predicament in which 
he was situated, and offered the negro a lib- 
eral reward if he would secure and deliver 
to the prisoners tools with which they could 
saw their way out. Slim Jim, with probably 
no knowledge of the seriousness of his crime, 
readily assented. "Jim," said the briber, as 
the young negro was leaving, "swear to me 
that you will never tell who hired you to do 
this." 

"Yes, sah! Yo can 'pend 'pen me, sah." 
And away he went, his eyes growing big as 
he thought of the treasure that would soon 
be his. 

He made his way down Main street to 
Dan Weston's blacksmith shop, which stood 
where now is Pauly's cigar store. Here he 
secured a file, a hammer and other tools that 
might aid in sawing iron, and soon had them 
in the cells of the two prisoners. That night 
Six-toed Pete and his partner cut out and got 
away. They were traced to Wallula and re- 
captured. L^pon being locked up the sheriff 
took them aside and said, "Now, you fellows 
probably realize ye're in a pretty bad fix. Ef 
ye want to save y'er necks ye'd better 'fess 
up who give ye them tools. An' ye might as 
well do it now as any time." 

"Slim Jim," was the response that came 
with perhaps more alacrity than magnanimity. 

That afternoon the sheriff appeared at the 
barber shop. "Tm lookin' fer a feller named 
Slim Jim." 



"Dat's me," responded the negro promptly. 
"Well, I want ye to come along with me." 
Jim, without any sign of surprise or hesi- 
tation, took his belt containing his pistol and 
"Arkansas toothpick" and handed it to the 
barber, saying as he did so, "Here, Dick, jes' 
keep these till I come back." 

At the jail he was confronted with the 
charge of having aided in the escape of pris- 
oners. He promptly confessed, pleading for 
his excuse that he "didn't know as it was so 
wrong." 

"Well, ni tell ye just one way to save yer 
neck," replied the sheriff. "Tell me who put 
ye up to this." 

"Ts swore I wouldn't." 
"That don't make no diff." 
"When I promise a thing I ain't agoin' 
back on it. So you can shoot me or hang 
me or do anything else with me, but Slim 
Jim's agoin' to stick to his word." 

It was evident to everyone that, negro as 
he was, his life wasn't worth much. But the 
way in which he carried himself throughout 
the whole matter had rather appealed to some 
of the citizens and so Ned James, agent for 
the express company, John Ryan and Ned 
Ryan interceded in his behalf and finally^ suc- 
ceeded in getting him freed. 

"Well, we'll let you go this time," said 
the authorities, and Jim found himself once 
more free. If he had been wise he would 
have left immediately, but he stayed around 
town for a few days more. 

The fourth night after his experience with 
the officers he was sitting with some compan- 
ions, listening to tales of adventure on sea 
and land. About eleven o'clock the proprie- 
tor of the shop went home. Before leaving 
he said, "Now, boys, if I were you I'd be in 
early to-night. Someway or another }-our 



244 



]-IISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



stories liave made me kind of nervous. You 
had better lock both front and l)ack doors 
to-night." 

"Ah, go on, you joker," was the laughing 
rei^ly he heard as he stepi^ed out into the 
darkness. 

Xo one during the day time ever heard or 
saw a \'igilante. But at night it was different. 
Then they were everywhere. 

"Halt!" said a gruff' voice in the dark- 
ness. The barber stopped. A figure stepped 
up to him. He was clad in a large coat with 
an immense cape, which he held over his head 
and drawn so across his face as to allow noth- 
ing but his eyes to be seen. Peering closely 
into the face of his man he said, "We're not 
after you. Go on, and see to it you don't 
look back." 

On one occasion a citizen was stopped six 
times thus, while walking from Fourth street 
up to First and around to Poplar. 

Between one and two o'clock the next 
morning all w^as quiet in the rear of the barber 
shop. Fifteen or sixteen negroes were lying 
sleeping in a row on the floor. Disregarding 
their friend's advice, the rear door was left 
open. 

Suddenly down Main street there stole 
twenty-five or thirty dark figures. Each was 
masked and each carried a rifle. They stopped 
in front of the barber shop. Half of them 
remained here while the rest w-ent quietly 
around to the rear door. Silently they filed 
in through the open door. They took their 
places at the feet of the sleeping negroes, each 
Vigilante covering a sleeper with his gun. 
Presently all the sleepers were aroused from 
their slumber by a rude voice, "Whoever 
moves will have liis head blown off!" Some 
of the negroes, beside themselves with terror, 
began to plead for mercy, but were summarily 



silenced. "What's your name?" said the man 
who stood over the first negro. 

"Jones." 

"We don't want you. What's your name?" 
to the next one. 

"Bill Davis." 

"We don't want you." And so on until 
they came to Jim. 

"Wlrat's your name?" , 

"Slim Jim," was the quick response. 

"We w-ant you. Put on your boots." 

Jim obeyed slowly and deliberately. Sud- 
denly he turned to his companions and ex- 
claimed, "Boys, these fellows mean to kill me. 
Stand by me." And with that he sprang upon 
the guard who stood over him and wrenched 
the gun from his hands. Suddenly he felt a 
deadening blow upon the left side of his head. 
He reeled and fell towards the right, when 
"thump," another blow from the butt of a 
musket knocked him back the other way. In- 
stantly a dozen hands had hold of him and 
he was dragged from the room. 

The next morning when the proprietor of 
the shop returned to his place of business he 
came upon a strange scene. Huddled into a 
corner of the back room were fifteen or twenty 
negroes like a herd of sheep when chased by 
dogs. 

"What's the matter?" 

Xo one answered. He looked about and 
saw blood upon the floor and upon the arch- 
way leading into the fore part of the shop. 
"The noise of battle hurtled in the air, 

Horses did neigh and dying men did groan. 

And ghosts did shriek and squeal about 
the streets," 
-solemnly recited an old man who prided him- 
self upon a knowledge of Shakespeare. 

"Come, you fellows, ^^'here's Jim ?" the 
barber asked. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



245 



Without saying a word they took liim out 
and led him just outside the village to an old 
tree which to-day stands near Singleton's 
pond, in the front yard of Mr. McKenzie's 
place. There, swinging from a limb of that 
old tree, was all that was left of Jim. 

One of the strangest cases laid at the door 
of the Vigilantes was that of Furth Patterson, 
one of the most noted and most remarkable 
characters of the early days. 

To understand what happened to Patter- 
son, we must recall an incident which took 
place in Portland about the year 1863. 

In. one of the principal saloons of the city 
there were standing before the bar a group of 
men. One was a young officer wearing the 
uniform of a Union soldier, whose shoulder 
straps signified that he was a captain in rank. 
His name was Staple. It appeared he had just 
received his commission and was celebrating 
the event with his friends. 

There was in the company another man 
in whom we are interested. He was a model 
of physical beauty. Over six feet tall, full 
chested, broad shouldered, with a clear blue 
eye, and hair just turned gray, which he wore 
rather long, parted in the middle of the back 
and combed forward over the ears in the 
fashion then so popular. He was a southerner 
from top to toe and showed it in e\-ery move- 
ment, look and word. His name was Pat- 
terson. 

"I drink to the success of tlie LTnion and 
the flag," suddenly cried Captain Staple. All 
raised their glasses to their lips except Pat- 
terson. As if in answer to the looks of inquiry 
of his companions, he exclaimed : "The Union 
and the flag be damned ;" and he turned on 
his heel and walked up stairs. 

"Bring him back and make him drink," 
cried the excited men. "It's not onlv an in- 



sult to you personally, but to your uniform 
and your flag. Bring him back and make him 
drink." 

Thus often a brave man is forced into the 
arms of death. In view of the situation and 
the remarks of his comrade, and considering 
that it was his maiden efifort to keep unstained 
the colors he wore, the young captain felt that 
something must be done. He moved toward 
the stairs. From the landing above came a 
voice rich and deep, but with a ring in it that 

meant death : "I'll kill the first 

who mounts those stairs." 

The young captain hesitatetl. His friends 
foolishly urged him on. With pistol in hand 
he ascended the stairs. One! Two! Three! 
A pistol shot rang out. The young man reeled, 
the blood spurting from a hole over his heart. 
He was dead before he touched the floor. 

Patterson was arrested, tried and acquit- 
ted. He made his way to Hot Springs, now 
known as Bingham Springs. Bingham Springs 
was then on the main stage line from The 
Dalles to Boise, and was a place of some im- 
portance, having a good sized hotel, bath 
house, etc. 

Unfortunately for all concerned, it hap- 
pened that Patterson, whose reputation as a 
"bad man" was well established, and Pinkham, 
the sheriff of Boise, who was known as an 
overbearing bully, should meet at the springs. 
In politics they differed and had several dis- 
putes. One day Patterson was just emerging 
from a bath when, after two or three words 
from Pinkham, the latter slapped Patterson 
in the face. 

"I'm all alone to-day without my gun," 
said Patterson. "One of these days I'll be 
fixed for you and we'll settle this matter." 

"The sooner the better," said Pinkham. 

It was some three or f(.iur days after this 



248 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



binations. Many were the deep-laid schemes, 
of both business and politics, which had their 
incubation on that corner. 

Whole volumes of incidents, tragic, comic, 
thrilling, suggestive, might be gleaned from 
the old political history of this country. 

Mention has already been made of the fact 
that in the early days Walla Walla was rife 
with the southern spirit of secession and rebel- 
lion. There were men. however, who had the 
courage and nerve to speak out in favor of the 
•Union. Such a one was an old gambler and 
sport, known by the name of "Wabash," for 
he was a Hoosier by birth. 

One day he rigged up a flag in the follow- 
ing manner : To the barrel of his rifle he tied 
a piece of oilcloth, or rather hung it so that 
the barrel was covered and the oilcloth hung 
down on either side. 

Holding the impromptu banner over his 
liead. he walked boldly down ]\lain street 
shouting at the top of his voice, "Hurrah for 
the flag and the Union !" 

As he went along there appeared at doors 
and corners men, pistol in hand, to inquire 
into the presumptuous proceedings, but when 
thc_\- recognized the character of the man who 
carried the flag and recalled his reputation as 
a dead shot, and also when they saw the mur- 
derous nature of the flag-pole, they thought 
discretion the better part of valor and let the 
L'nion enthusiast alone. Yet old-timers say 
that scarcely another man had dared do the 
same thing. 

Xo one realized the lawlessness and spirit 
of rebellion against Uncle Sam's authority 
more than Edwin Eells. sometimes called 
"Gentle Eells," a son of Gushing Eells, who 
attempted to get the first census roll. Men 
played all manner of tricks upon him. It was 



not enough to give him all sorts of ridiculous 
and sometimes vile pseudonyms, but they even 
went so far as to take his enrollment book and 
use it for a football, arranged buckets of water 
on the eaves of the porch so as to give him a 
free bath, etc. Eells never lost his temper. 
He always remonstrated in a gentle way until 
finally his patience won the day and he gained 
for himself the epithet "Gentle Eells.'' 

We must not get the impression that 
Walla Walla in the "sixties was composed en- 
tirely of toughs and gamblers. There were 
many men of sterling character, keen business 
sagacity; men who made money, not at the 
gaming table, but by careful investments and 
skillful business management. We have al- 
ready spoken of Dr. D. S. Baker as promi- 
nent among these. He was a man of unique 
personal appearance, slender, wiry and stooped 
in frame, a face deeply furrowed by thought 
and care, a peculiar expression of his mouth 
in conversation, and an impressive deliberate- 
ness in his speech. With all his eccentricities 
he was a man of the highest integrity, the 
keenest intellect, and a genius in the world of 
financial affairs. 

Many stories are told of the little railroad 
which lie l)uilt and managed between \\'alla 
Walla and Wallula. People have recalled 
many times over the little cigar-box cars, the 
dumpy engine, the wooden rails and the strap 
iron with its everlasting tendency to turn up at 
erids and threaten to wreck the train ; the 
dog which some say was keiJt aboard to drive 
off the cows from the track. But the little 
railroad was a marvel in its own day and 
meant more to the Walla Walla \allev than 
any one thing that has happened since that 
time. 

Another character who could almost hold 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



249 



his own with anyhody, both in worldly pos- 
sessions and eccentricities, was Joe Freeman, 
generally known as "Portuguese Joe," since 
he was supposed to have hailed from Portu- 
guese stock. In about 1872 he made his ap- 
pearance in Walla Walla with some sixty 
thousand dollars which he had got in the Oro 
Fine mines in Idaho. He was then a short, 
heavy-set man, of very dark complexion, black 
beard and hair just turning gray. He seemed 
to have been gifted with some powers of ex- 
pression and at times tried his hand at ora- 
tory. The most remarkable characteristic of 
his efforts in speech was a well-developed 
habit of circumlocution, coupled with the ner- 
vous impetuosity of his southern blood. 

On one occasion he announced himself as 
a candidate for congressman, and gave notice 
of the fact that he would express his views 
on political matters on a certain afternoon on 
the corner of Third and Rose streets. 

Quite a crowd assembled, and when Por- 
tuguese Joe mounted the bed of the wagon 
which was to serve as a rostrum, he was 
greeted with deafening applause. 

Flattered and excited, he was soon sailing 
along on the tempestuous flood of his oratory, 
and making a genuine impression. But alas 
for the aspirant after political powers. There 
was a Cassius in the crowd, who had bribed 
the driver of the team which was hitched to 
Joe's grandstand. At a most interesting and 
exciting period in the orator's address, a sig- 
nal was given and the driver whipped up his 
horses, and the astonished audience was left 
standing watching the receding Demosthenes 
still spouting patriotism and madly gesticulat- 
ing until a corner hid him from view. 

The story of Portuguese Joe reminds us 
of another joke with which lie was connected, 



and which involved two of Walla Walla's 
prominent lawyers. 

Joe had lost fifteen hundred dollars at a 
game of faro. He brought suit against the 
proprietor of the gaming house, James Chaun- 
cey, alleging that he had been cheated. Allen 
and Crowley were employed by the defendant. 
It was an interesting trial and the court room 
was crowded. Allen was then a young law- 
yer and withal of a naturally gentle and inno- 
cent character. He was tr3'ing to show that 
if luck had gone the other way, Joe would 
have had no complaint to make as to the fair- 
ness of the game; in fact, that he was playing 
the baby act. 

Mr. Allen had asked several questions 
which showed that he did not have an artistic 
conception of the fine points of the game, 
much to the amusement of the audience and 
to the consternation of his partner, Crowley. 
The climax was reached when Allen asked, 
"Didn't you hold good hands part of the 
time?" This was too much for Joe, who 
jumped from his seat and in great e.xcitement 
began to draw diagrams on the floor and ex- 
plain that "hands" had nothing to do with it. 

Finally Allen, whose face had assumed the 
hue of a poppy, was relie\'ed and the audience 
was convulsed when Crowley dryly remarked, 
"John, you had better let me examine this 
witness." 

Speaking of lawyers reminds us of one of 
the most interesting characters at the bar at 
that time, — Colonel Wyatt A. George. He 
was a southerner, with all that implies of grace, 
])olish and gallantry. He was tall, slender, and 
erect even in his old age. He was always 
dressed in ])lack and was never seen without 
his tall black silk hat. In this he alwavs car- 



250 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



ried his papers and briefs, a tiling which once 
saved his life. 

In company with ^Mr. Ankeny, he was trav- 
eling on horseback, on his way toward Flor- 
ence. Suddenly the horse he was riding be- 
gan to buck and the colonel was thrown head- 
long down the side of a hill, lighting squarely 
upon his head. His hat was crushed down 
over his ears, but the pad of papers proved 
such a good cushion that he came out of his 
difficulty unscathed. 

This recalls another incident when the 
colonel probably wished for his old friend and 
protector. It seems he had become enamored 
of a woman whose husband was sick unto 
death. He had paid many visits to the place 
during the sick man's illness. One day the 
invalid asked his wife for a bottle full of hot 
water for his back. It was one of those old- 
time beer bottles, thick and solid as a brick. 
In the course of the evening in came the colo- 
nel. After chatting a little while very pleas- 
antly the sick man said : "Colonel, I wish you'd 
come close. I'm tired and can't talk loud. 
I want to whisper to you." The colonel, noth- 
ing loath, bent his head over the man and pre- 
pared to hear his parting words. The man 
affectionately put his arm around the colonel's 
neck, and having got a firm grip, reached for 
his bottle and before the astonished lawyer 
could break away he felt as though his head 
was a mass of shaking jelly. \\ e must not 
treasure up this incident against the good colo- 
nel, for his intentions were really good. He 
afterward married the widow. 

The colonel was an enthusiast at billiards. 
Indeed he had a very original way of spending 
his nights. He would begin to play at nine 
or ten o'clock, keep at it until three or four, 
then eat a meal such as would task the diges- 
tive powers of two ordinary men, and then 



settle down in his chair for his night's rest. 
At daybreak he would take a long walk into 
the country, and on his return be bright, wide 
awake and ready for business. He was by no 
means all eccentricities. He had a fine mind; 
was possessed of real literary culture, being 
perfectly familiar with the works of the great 
masters and able to quote them bv the hour, 
while as to his legal training and acumen, par- 
ticularly as to his knowledge of common law, 
he has never had a rival in this northwest 
country. For many years he was one of the 
well-known characters accompanying the court 
in its circuits. He was finally taken ill, and 
died in the Walla Walla hospital. 

On one occasion he was riding in a stage 
coach. On the seat next to him sat a Cath- 
olic priest, and the two had gotten into a 
heated argument as to mortals' chances of en- 
tering Heaven. The colonel argued that many 
a man not known for his sanctity while on 
earth would stand a chance at the Pearly 
Gates. 

"You will never see Heaven," responded 
the priest. 

'T'll bet you fifty cents I will," promptly 
responded the colonel. 

Let us hope that long ere this the priest 
has had to pay the bet. 

Walla Walla has had her full share of 
floods and fires and other calamities. It is 
said by old-timers that formerly a larger por- 
tion of IMill creek flowed through the town 
than at present. The bed of the creek also 
was much nearer the bank than at present. 
In consequence of this it was much more lia- 
ble to disastrous overflow. A large stream 
flowed out at high water in nearly the pres- 
ent location of the flume on Alder street. The 
greatest flood in the history of the town was 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



25ft 



in November, 1S61, immediately preceding the 
famous hard winter. That was a period of 
floods all over the Columbia valley. At that 
time George E. Cole had a log building nearly 
in the present location of the Model bakery. 
The creek then flowed farther east, nearly in 
the present position of Leroux's blacksmith 
shop. When the immense volume of water 
poured out of the mountains it cut right 
through the bank, undermining Cole's building 
and discharging an enormous flood right down 
]\Iain street, causing about as much damage 
as was possible, considering the little that 
there then was to damage. There have been 
frequent floods since, but the diversion of so 
large a portion of the water into the Yellow- 
hawk and Garrison creeks, together with the 
fact that Mill creek has cut its channel 
several feet deeper, has rendered its overflows 
less violent and destructive. 

Walla W'alla has had many fires also. 
Soon after the organization of the city there 
began to be efforts to form a fire company. 
The first fire company is said t(j have been 
the Washington, organized in 1863, Mr. Fred 
Stine being the leader in its formation. Their 
engine was an old "Hunneman tub." as it was 
called. The first fire worthy of mention was 
on the 4th of July. The celebration of the 
day was just fairly under way when Smith 
& Allen's store, nearly where the Salvation 
Army is now located, caught fire. There was 
great excitement, for the fire company had 
been disbanded before this and there was no 
organization whatever. However, a number 
of men, led by John Justice, rushed out the 
old Hunneman tub, got it into a stream of 
water which flowed near there, and succeeded 
in preventing any very disastrous spreading. 
The greatest fire in the history of Walla Walla 
was in ^March, 1887, when almost the entire 



business portion of Walla Walla between Third 
and Fourth streets was destroyed. Since that 
time the fires, though numerous, have not 
been very extensive, those of the Stine 
House, the Hunt «& Robert works, the States- 
man building, the Farmers' Alliance building, 
and the Elevator having been the worst. Al- 
though fires have been so numerous in Walla 
Walla, there have been only two cases of loss 
of life. One was in that of the Aurora Hotel, 
and the other in the Farmers' Alliance ware- 
house. 

The greatest contrast between the Walla 
Walla of the past and that of the present is 
found in the condition of the yards and lawns. 
Aside from the verdure which fringed the 
creek and the various spring branches, the 
most of ancient Walla Walla was as bare and 
desolate as the Wallula of the present time. 
The streets, trodden by the feet of hundreds 
of Indian ponies and torn up by the rearing 
steeds of inebriated cow-boys, contributed 
clouds of dust to every passing breeze, and a 
uni\'ersal grayish brown wrapped all objects, 
animate and inanimate. No fragrant locust 
trees or blushing roses or nodding snowballs 
or fresh, green grass relieved the dismal mo- 
notony of dust. Yet the wild rose bushes 
bloomed along the banks of the rivulets which 
then as now gladdened the waste, and the cot- 
tonwoods which skirted the creek shed their 
sweet perfume upon the zephyrs of May the 
same as now. It was plain e\-en then that 
Walla Walla had the making of a beautiful 
place. A person of imagination could look 
forward to the stately trees and verdant lawns 
which now make Walla Walla the pleasantest 
home city of the Inland Empire. One could 
then anticipate the yards full of tulips and 
lilacs, roses and chrvsanthemunis, and the yard 



252 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



after yard of peaclies. apricots, cherries, pears was possible thirty years ago for one of not 
and apples, whose flowery treasures in spring even a very prophetic soul to foresee some- 
attract tiie buzzing bees by myriads, and whose thing of the verdure and brightness and lux- 
branches bow in summer with the nectareous ury which these 3'ears of industry and growth 
distillations of the matchless soil and sunshine have created upon the old-time desert, 
of the Valley of Many Waters. In short, it 



CHAPTER XXIV 



W.\LLA W.\LL.\ CITY IX I9OI. 



We ha\ e presented in the preceding pages 
of this histor)' the essential features of both 
the past and present of Walla Walla county 
and Walla ^^'alla city. We have shown the 
evolution of the wild Indian country of forty 
years ago into the productive and orderly 
homes of civilized men. We have exhibited 
the present industries and the intellectual and 
moral instrumentalities of the region. \\'e 
have taken a journey throughout the length 
and breadth of the county, viewing its towns, 
its villages and its farms. To complete the 
picture it remains only to visit Walla Walla 
city and examine it as a stranger might, seek- 
ing a permanent home for himself and family. 
In doing this we do not propose a repetition 
of facts already stated, Init rather a series of 
such pictures of the town and such facts of its 
life as would present themselves to the eye of 
the traveler and investigator. 

A traveler approaching Walla \\"alla by 
the Northern Pacific and Hunt line encounters 
some risk of that strange and dreadful expe- 
rience sometimes known as being "pascoed." 
It occasionally happens that the trains east or 
west are behind time, antl as the Hunt line 
trains run on schedule time, the belated trav- 



eler finds himself left. He then has no re- 
course but to remain in Pasco until the train 
leaves for Walla Walla on the following day. 
It is said that some have walked rather than 
pass through that ordeal. But though Pasco 
has become, in the minds of Walla Walla peo- 
ple a synonym for all that is "weary, stale, 
flat and unprofitable," it would not be sur- 
prising if some time in the near future is should 
become a beautiful and attractive place. It is 
admirably situated at the conflux of the two 
great rivers, the Snake and the Columbia, the 
soil in the vicinity is fertile, there is an area 
of prairie land of thousands upon thousands 
of acres adjacent to the place, and all that is 
necessary to make a town is water. Many 
schemes have been proposed for getting water 
upon these great Pasco plains. The magnitude 
of the undertaking has thus far staggered pri- 
\ate enterprise, but when the L'nited States 
g()\"ernment undertakes the work of irriga- 
tion on a great scale, as it doubtless will, the 
Pasco plains will furnish one of the most hope- 
ful fields for development. A widespread 
scene of verdure will then greet the eyes of 
the traveler bound to or from \\'alla Walla, 
and he may then find a day or more spent at 



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II 

-^1 






HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



;55 



Pasco a pleasurable experience. Franklin 
county is at present having a boom of land- 
filings, and some time there will be a town. 

Walla Walla is unfortunate at the present 
time in not being on the main line of either 
road. There are, however, sleeping-cars upon 
both lines which convey the traveler directly 
to or from Walla Walla without change. 

If we come to Walla Walla by the O. R. 
& N. line, we find ourselves disembarked at 
a station in the northern part of the town. 
If it be daytime when we leave the train, we 
shall see on all sides around' a level plain so 
thickly covered with trees ' that the city is 
hardly visible. This dense foliage is the most 
noticeable characteristic of Walla Walla to the 
stranger who has been making his way over 
the vast treeless prairies which lie between the 
Cascade and the Blue mountains. Our eyes 
are speedily attracted to a large group of 
brick buildings immediately north of the sta- 
tion, and these we learn constitute the Wash- 
ington State Penitentiary. The author once' 
observed a j)arty of strangers viewing the peni- 
tentiary from the car windows and remark- 
ing, "They have fine school buildings in Walla 
Walla, don't they?" 

As one of the most prominent public in- 
stitutions the penitentiary must be accorded a 
visit by every one who would thoroughly "do" 
the Garden City. 

The penitentiary became a Walla Walla 
institution in 1887, having been removed to 
this place from Seatco. It was largely due to 
the persistent interest of Mr. Frank Paine that 
this step was taken. Walla Walla people 
raised five thousand dollars toward expenses 
of removal. Governor Squire was favorable 
to it. The various wardens in charge in their 
order of service, are as follows: J(jhn Justice, 



F. L. Edmiston, John McClees, J. H. Co])lentz, 
Thomas Mosgrove and J. B. Catron. 

We meet a most courteous reception from 
Warden Catron, and from him and from an 
inspection of the ground and the buildings we 
soon gather more matter than our present 
space admits of presentation. We find in the 
first place that the state has made a generous 
appropriation of space to the uses of the peni- 
tentiary. A farm of one hundred and fifty-five 
acres, with forty acres additional to be deeded 
to the state by the federal government, is now 
devoted to the uses of the institution. On this 
farm is raised a considerable part of the food 
supply of the penitentiary. The value of tlie 
products raised during the last year was $6,- 
646.20. Had it not been for an unfortunate 
attack of hog cholera, it is estimated that the 
income of the farm would have amounted to 
about $9,000. 

We find within the enclosure of the peni- 
tentiary a large number of well-equipped and 
well-furnished buildings, together with a jute 
mill and brick yard, the oufput of which con- 
stitutes a great item in the income of the peni- 
tentiary. 

The approximate valuation of the state's 
property here is $447,215.75, divided as fol- 
lows: Farm real estate, $8,225.00; farm for- 
age, stock and implements, $3,768.55 ; perma- 
nent improvements, buildings, etc., $241,- 
578.68; engine, boilers, light, etc., $9,497.28; 
jute mill, $144,704.00; brick yard, $5,- 
930.23; store house, $2,569.19; steward's 
department, $11,556.46; hospital, $1,072.40; 
armory, $676.95; office furniture, $603.25; 
warehouse, $15,375.35; furniture, etc., war- 
den's residence, $1,658.41. 

We discover the pojjulation of the prison 
on February 21, 190.1, to be four hundred and 



254 



HISTORY OF \VALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



fifty. About three-fourths of the entire num- 
ber are white males. During the past two 
years there have been but five females con- 
signed to the penitentiarjr. Nearly half of the 
convicts are lietween the ages of twenty and 
thirty. Of four hundred and five convicts on 
September 30, 1900, thirty-two only were illit- 
erates. There were two college graduates and 
one graduate of a theological seminary. Of 
the same fuur hundred and five two hundred 
and five were temperate, one hundred and 
ninety-six intemperate, and four were moder- 
ate drinkers. In view of the fact that the great 
majority of the convicts are less than forty 
years old, it is a somewhat melancholy fact 
that, of but one hundred both parents are liv- 
ing. Of the four hundred and fi\e tabulated 
on September 30, 1900, a hundred and five 
are farmers and laborers, twenty-four are min- 
ers, and twenty-nine are sailors. This seems 
to disprove the somewhat common idea that 
contact with nature and the physical occupa- 
tions is conducive to an upright and honest life. 
So far as we can judge, the whole ten- 
dency of the prison discipline and manage- 
ment is humane and sympathetic. Discipline 
is of necessity firm, and, when occasion de- 
mands, severe. The state has been liberal in 
appropriations for comforts and conveniences 
in the penitentiary. The most imi)ortant struc- 
ture made during the past year was the new 
dining hall and kitchen. This cost but six 
thousand dollars, and the results are truly sur- 
prising. We find a brick building, first-class 
in every respect, one hundred and sixty-one 
feet long and forty-three feet wide, with a ceil- 
ing of panelled steel, both substantial and ar- 
tistic. This same building is also employed 
as a prison chapel. On January 7, 1900, it 
was dedicated to this purpose, with appro- 
priate religious and musical services. We find 



an excellent hospital and a prison library of 
seven hundred and seventeen volumes. The 
convicts also have the conveniences of bath- 
rooms and suitable lighting and heating. 

One of the most interesting features of 
the penitentiary is the parole system. This 
system, now of two years existence, consists 
in the temporary and experimental setting at 
liberty of convicts whose record seems to oft'er 
hope that they are thoroughly reformed. 
While under parole each convict is obliged to 
have some person of standing in the state 
named as his first friend and advisor. The 
paroled prisoner is required to be at all times 
under the knowledge of tais first friend and ad- 
visor, and to be at any time subject to the 
call of the prison authorities. As a disciplin- 
ary measure this system has yielded good re- 
ults. The governor has paroled, under the 
terms of the law, fifteen prisoners. Two of 
these ran away, of whom one has been recap- 
tured and will be compelled to serve out his 
full time. The remaining thirteen have care- 
fully observed the requirements of the law 
and have in the main been steadily employed 
with good wages. 

The most important industrial feature of 
the penitentiary is the jute mill. This is the 
result of the thoughtful observation of Messrs. 
F. Paine and W. K. Kirkman, who observed 
the evil effects on the prisoners of lack of 
exercise and occupation. Messrs. F. Paine, P. 
Preston and Loudon were the commissioners 
at that time, and to them is due the jute mill. 
This is one of the most completely equipped 
manufactories of grain bags and other jute 
fabrics in the country. When operated to its 
full capacity the jute mill employed two hun- 
dred and filty-fi\-e hands. The output of the 
mill averages about one hundred and forty 
thousand grain bags per month, at the same 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



255 



time considerable quantities of hop cloth, mat- 
ting, special bags, twine, etc. For the period 
of two years ending September 30, 1900, the 
sales of jute fabrics, together with stock on 
hand, amounted to a total of $142,195.07, be- 
ing a profit of $10,548.37. 

The output of the brick-yard was for the 
same two years $3,854.39, representing a net 
profit of $647.64. The state has now discon- 
tinued making brick for public sale. One kiln 
of four hundred thousand brick was burned 
last year for the use of the penitentiary itself. 

The penitentiary is justly regarded as one 
of the best managed public institutions of the 
state. 

Having visited the penitentiary first of all 
(a certain proportion of the citizens of Wash- 
ington register first in this institution and 
never visit any other), we will, if you please, 
proceed "up town." It is literally up town 
in this case, for, although Walla Walla seems 
to be upon a level plain, it is in reality upon a 
slope of about fifty feet to the mile. 

One of the advantages of this sloping site 
becomes apparent even to a stranger, for he sees 
evidences from workmen and from accumula- 
tions of material that \\'alla Walla is build- 
ing a sewerage system, and the natural slope 
of the town site gives it a special advantage 
in the construction of such a system. Among 
many improvements which have marked the 
growth of Walla Walla during the past two 
years we find none so great as that of the city 
ownership of the water works, and the con- 
struction of a sewer system. The Cjuestion 
of this great step in the history of the city 
was for several 3'ears the burning subject of 
Walla Walla city politics. While we are mak- 
ing our way to a hotel we may very properly 
notice a few of the interesting facts leading 
to this important consummation. 



In the year 1867 Mr. H. P. Isaacs, J. C. 
Isaacs and J. D. Cook undertook what seemed 
to most of the inhabitants of Walla Walla the 
extraordinary project of building waterworks. 
Their w^orks were located on the present site 
of Armory Hall. The "outfit" consisted of 
a large pump, a huge wooden tank, and a 
quantity of wooden pipe. The water supply 
came out of Mill creek. The pipe consisted 
of logs, bored lengthwise by hand with augers. 
This water system seems not to have been 
altogether satisfactory, through its habit of 
working only occasionally when it felt like it. 
Mr. Isaacs, with his usual energy, soon be- 
came dissatisfied with such an inadequate 
equipment, and abandoned the Mill creek en- 
terprise, turned his attention to the higher 
land on his own place east of town. He saw 
that on account of the rapid slope, a gravity 
system would be entirely feasible. Accord- 
ingly, in 1877 he constructed reservoir No. i 
on his property, the same which now supplies 
the part of the town north of Mill creek. The 
water supply was derived from some of the 
large springs which abound in that region. 
Mr. Isaacs also built on the south side of 
Mill creek reservoir No. 2, which was in ex- 
istence until 1898, when it was succeeded by 
the present large reservoir in the same place. 
.Thus it will be seen that the general plan of 
the waterworks of \\'alla \\'alla was designed 
by Mr. Isaacs and has remained essentially 
unchanged, except for enlargement, to th,s 
day. 

In 1887 Mr. Isaacs sold out his interes*: 
in the waterworks to the Walla \^'alla Water 
Company. The company at once made great 
enlargement and improvement in the works, 
and in that same year made a contract with the 
city, by which they were to have exclusive 
right, under certain conditions, to provide the 



256 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



city with water for twenty-five years. As 
time passed on and the city grew, there de- 
veloped a strong popular desire that the city 
own the waterworks and establish in connec- 
tion with them a suitable system of sewerage. 
The pressure for this plant grew to overwhelm- 
ing strength in the year 1893. On July 10 
of that year, under the mayoralty of John L. 
Roberts, a special election was held upon the 
question of issuing bonds by the city for the 
purpose of constructing a city system. The 
result was an overwhelming majority in favor 
of city ownership of w'ater. Plans were at 
once inaugurated b}' the mayor and city coun- 
cil to enter upon the construction of a new 
system. Negotiations between the city and the 
Water Company for the purchase of the ex- 
isting system having failed, the Water Com- 
pany brought suit to restrain the city from 
building a new system. Their ground of action 
was the contract previously made, giving them 
exclusive rights for twenty-five years. After 
long litigation in the state courts, the case 
finally reached the supreme court of the United 
States. The Water Company won the suit. 
This left the city in a demoralized condition. 
It had failed in its purpose and had moreover 
expended several thousand dollars in the main- 
tenance of a losing suit. Nevertheless, the 
purpose to secure possession of the water- 
works and to carry out the plan of the sewer- 
age system did not flag. By public meetings, 
frequent articles in newspapers, and general 
agitation, the necessity of municipal owner- 
ship of these vital instrumentalities of a whole- 
some and prosperous town, was kept impressed 
upon the public mind. And at last in 1899 
a proposition was submitted by the water com- 
pany for the sale of their entire property, land 
and waterworks. Accordingly on the twen- 
tieth of June. 1899, a special election was held 



to determine the question of the purchase of 
the water system and the issuance of bonds 
for the establishment of a sewerage system. 
The affirmative won by an overwhelming ma- 
jority. The purchase price of the water works 
was two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. 
In part payment the city issued municipal 
bonds to the value of one hundred and thirty- 
three thousand dollars. These bonds are to 
run for twenty years and bear four and a half 
per cent interest. It is a fine evidence of the 
standing of Walla Walla in the money mar- 
kets that these bonds were taken at a premium 
of one thousand two hundred and fifty dollars 
on the issue. In addition to those municipal 
bonds, bonds for the construction of a sewer- 
age system, secured by the income of the water 
works, bearing five per cent interest and sub- 
ject to be called in by the city, were issued. It 
was a source of satisfaction to Walla Wallans 
that a number of responsible bidders appeared 
to make offers for these bonds. Both series 
of bonds were disposed of to Morris & White- 
head, of Portland, Oregon. These indispensable 
prerequisites having been attended to, the city 
proceeded at once to advertise for bids for 
the construction of the sewerage system. A 
large number of bids were received from vari- 
ous places, and it was decided by the council 
that the offer of G. H. Sutherland & Company 
of Walla Walla was most advantageous. 
^Accordingly articles of agreement were en- 
tered into, and in the spring of 1900 the con- 
tractors began active work. The contract calls 
for twenty-three and one-third miles of sewers. 
A large part of the task is now completed, and 
it is expected that the entire work will be ac- 
complished by August, lyoi. Tliis will be 
considerably ahead of the contract time, which 
is Oct(.)ber 15th. The sewer system is being 
constructed of first class material, and the W(_irk 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



257 



is being clone in a manner to commanil tlie con- 
fidence of the city. One of tlie important 
featm-es of the system is the disposal of the 
sewage. This has been settled by a contract 
with the Blalock Fruit Company, by which they 
agree to receive and dispose of the sewage in 
such a manner as to render it innocuous, and 
free from further expense to the city. The Bla- 
lock company have given heavy bonds for the 
faithful discharge of their agreement, and in 
consideration thereof have the privilege of the 
exclusive use of the sewage for a period of 
fifty years. 

It is appropriate that we complete this 
part of our observation of the city by reference 
to the condition of the water works under 
municipal ownership. An extract from the 
Walla Walla Union of December 18, 1900, 
presents, in a better way than can otherwise 
be done, the condition of the system at that 
time. It may be added that there bas been a 
steady gain since that time. 

"H. H. Turner, registrar of the Walla 
Walla waterworks, has submitted his first 
report for the fiscal year ending November 
30, 1900. This report being the first since 
the city acquired possession of the property 
it is of considerable interest as it shows how 
the business of this department has been con- 
ducted and its present financial condition. 
From all appearances the property is in an ex- 
cellent condition. The report will be submitted 
to the council for its approval tonight. 

"The report shows that from all snurces 
the revenue has been $34,443.77, which in- 
cludes water rents, rents of water power, prop- 
erty and the profit on material. Miscellaneous 
•rents brought in $20,339.08; irrigation .$5,- 
665.10 and metered water $4,370.90. 

"The operating expenses and repairs 
amounted to $1,304.78, and general expen.ses 

17 



$619.69. The net gain for the year is 
given as $30,301.74. The expenditures of 
the distributing system amounted to $709.50 
and $17,787.73 has been paid in to the 
city treasurer. The cash statement shows 
receipts of $34,169.78, and disbursements of 
$31,072.32, leaving a cash balance of $3,- 
097.46. 

"A total distance of 25 miles, 3,500 feet of 
water mains are shown to be laid in the city, 
being an extension since the beginning of the 
year of S./Oiyi feet. A total of 95 meters 
are in operation which have been maintained 
at the rate of 41 cents per meter for the entire 
year, and the amount of water metered at 
16,512,625 gallons. 

"The report goes on to state that the stand 
pipe formerly connecting with reservoir No. 
2 near the Odd Fellows' home has been moved 
to the reservoir near Whitman street and lo- 
cated on the hill. 'Your committee.' the re- 
port says, 'has wisely adopted the policy of 
declining to extend mains unless sufficient 
business is in sight to pay a liberal return on 
the cost. Several applications have been re- 
jected on this ground. 

" 'Some of our water rates are considerably 
higher than the neighboring cities of larger 
size, but our schedules compare favorably 
with those of cities in the northwest whose 
population is aljout the same as ours.' It 
is then recommended that as soon as busi- 
ness will warrant that the schedule be revised. 
On the other hand it is suggested that exten- 
sions of mains will have to be made to out- 
lying districts, notably Bryant's addition, so 
as to supply families living there." 

We have l:)een proceeding in a very leisure- 
ly manner to our hotel, while taking notes- 
upon the water and sewerage systems of the 
citv. But at last we reach the Inisiness part 



258 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



■of town and between the tliree principal hotels, 
the State, the Palace, and the Dacres, we re- 
pair to the last named. This well equipped 
and comfortable hotel occupies the historic 
spot held for many years by the Stine House. 
The Stine House was one of the fixed insti- 
tutions of Walla Walla. It had held its po- 
sition for so many years that no one had 
dreamed of the ix)ssibility of its being de- 
stroyed by flood, fire, pestilence, or any other 
agency. When therefore on July 22, 1892, 
the Stine House deliberately went to work and 
burned up, the people of Walla Walla rubbed 
their eyes in astonishment, thinking it quite 
possible that the next event would be the 
burning of Pike's Peak. This unfortunate 
fire being in the very midst of the hard times, 
the owners felt little encouragement to re- 
build, and hence the unsightly ruins of the 
historic old Stine House remained for years 
.an eye-sore to the aesthetic and a menace to the 
timid. For the former could not look at it 
■without danger of strabismus, and the lat- 
.ter could not pass it, especially at night, with- 
out suspicion of foot-pads lurking within. 
Finally in the year 1899, which thus far may 
be considered the champion year for building, 
George Dacres, one of the moneyed men of 
'Walla Walla, purchased the property and by 
erecting an elegant, first-class hotel, with all 
■the modern improvements, supplied one of the 
greatest needs of the town. 

Having satisfied the inner man with the 
excellent menu provided at the table of the 
Dacres, and having rid the external man of 
some of the surplus dust which is sure to 
gather upon the traveler from Wallula to Walla 
Walla, we sally forth in search of further ex- 
perience. 

The streets of Walla Walla give the 
stranger the impression of business solidity and 



activity, but it must also be confessed that 
they give the impression of a plentiful lack of 
cleanliness. For, during the greater portion 
of the year, the streets of the otherwise fair 
city are in such a condition from mud, dust, 
or other defilement, that sales of blacking are 
said to have ceased except to superlative dudes, 
and only the leisure classes make a regular 
practice of keeping their hands and faces 
clean. It should in justice, however, be noted 
that the past two years have seen a consider- 
able improvement in the condition of the 
streets. 

For a city of a little over ten thousand in- 
habitants, ^^'alla Walla shows evidence of a 
very large amount of business. This is due to 
the fact that it gathers to itself the trade of 
a comparatively well settled region, over an 
area of probably a thousand square miles. 
The streets are therefore thronged with coun- 
try people and those from adjoining towns. 

This concentration of business has made 
Walla Walla a very wealthy city. It is said 
to be surpassed in per capita wealth by only 
three cities in the United states. These are 
Hartford, Connecticut, Helena, Montana, and 
Portland, Oregon. It is therefore without 
surprise that we see evidence of the stability 
and largeness of transactions of the banks. 
There are three banking institutions in the 
place. Two of these, the First National and 
the Baker-Boyer bank, may justly be called 
pioneer banks. The third, the Farmers' Sav- 
ings bank, is of later origin. The first of these 
banks was the Baker-Boyer, established in 
1870. At first a private bank, it became re- 
established as a national bank. Dr. D. S. 
Baker and J. F. Boyer for many years con- 
stituted its management. At the present time 
ex-Governor Miles C. Moore is president, 
^^'. W. Baker, vice-president, H. E. Johnson, 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



259 



cashier, and John ^I. Hill, assistant cashier. 
The deposits of the Baker-Boyer liank on Sep- 
tember 5, 1900, were $670,090.83. The First 
National bank was established in 1872 as a 
private bank by A. H. Reynolds, Sr. The 
management was known at that time under 
the firm name of Reynolds & Day. It subse- 
quently became a national bank and became 
largely the property of Levi Ankeny. At the 
present time Levi Ankeny is president, A. H. 
Reynolds, Jr., vice-president, A. R. Bur ford, 
cashier, and P. M. Winans, assistant cashier. 
The deposits of this bank on September 5, 
1900, were $791,378.89. The Farmers' Sav- 
ing bank was founded in 1889 and has contin- 
ued to be a savings bank to the present time. 
Its president is ^^^ P. Winans ; vice-president, 
G. W. Babcock, and cashier, Joel Chitwood. 
The average deposits of this bank at the pres- 
ent time may be stated in round numbers at 
$300,000.00. Thus it may be seen that the 
average deposits of the banks of Walla Walla 
are about one and three-quarter million dol- 
lars, an immense showing for a place of the 
^ize of Walla Walla. 

Leaving the banks, duly impressed with 
the idea that where there is so much money 
there certainly ought to be a large amount of 
trade, we find our expectations confirmed by an 
examination of the mercantile establishments. 
We find these in general heavily stocked with 
all kinds of new and standard goods. Some 
of the existing stores of Walla Walla are of 
peculiar interest on account of the,ir antiquity. 
The Schwabacher store was founded in the 
'sixties. The same is true of the hardware 
■store of William O'Donnell, the merchandise 
store of Kyger & Foster, and the bakery of O. 
Brechtel. Some of the largest stores of the 
present time, however, are of recent origin, 
.as the hardware and furniture store of Davis 



& Kasar, the dry goods and clothing store 
of O. P. Jaycox, and the agricultural imple- 
ment houses of Criffield & Smitten and John 
Smith. The various grocery stores Ukewise 
do an immense business, both in purchasing- 
supplies from the farmers and in disposing 
of their standard merchandise. 

We have spoken so fully in the preceding 
chapter of the fruit dealers, the millers, and 
the manufacturers, that it is not necessary to 
consider them again here. Leaving these there- 
fore we will saunter more leisurely through 
the rest of the business section, and then 
through the residence section of the city. We 
find among the other semi-public institutions 
two excellent and well equipped hospitals. 
These are, first, the St. Mary's hospital, under 
control of the Catholic Sisters, which was es- 
tablished in 1870, and was extensively enlarged 
in 1899. The other hospital was built in 1899, 
and is owned and conducted by Dr. J. F. Cropp. 
Both these hospitals are equipped for the best 
surgical work and scientific nursing. Among 
recent acquisitions of the Walla Walla hos- 
pital is an X-ray instrument, which has proved 
of great service in some recent cases. 

A ride through the residence portion of 
Walla Walla, especially if it be the leafy month 
of j\Iay, will convince the visitor that here 
is one of the most homelike of Washington 
cities. The suburbs of the place are peculiarly 
attractive. Without entering into invidious 
comparisons, it may be said the homes of E.x- 
Governor Moore, W. A. Ritz, Dr. Fall, \\\ 
W. Baker, Mrs. Stone, Max Baumeister, and 
the heirs of H. P. Isaacs, are of themselves suffi- 
cient to give distinction to the outer circuit 
of the town. We have spoken of the pro- 
fusion of trees which decorate the streets and 
yards of the city. It may be added that if 
io also fairly emliowered in shrubbery and 



26o 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



flowers of all sorts. Of these, roses ])reclom- 
inate. tlmuirh tlicrc are at proper seasons ])er- 
fect Ijanks of crysantliemunis. To the old- 
timer who recalls the dismal and sun-parched 
desert which from i860 to 1S75 constituted 
the site of the town, and then \'ie\vs the pres- 
ent verdure and glow of color, tlowers, shrub- 
bery, and fruit trees, redolent with the fra- 
grance of spring, the change seems almost too 
striking for belief. 

Turning again from the solid comforts of 
the residence pnrtinn of the town to the public 
institutions, we shall find the schools worthy 
of an extended visit. The historic facts of 
these institutions have been presented else- 
Avhere. but we desire to observe here the hous- 
ing and e(|ui]3ment prox'ided for the young 
students of Walla Walla. The three public 
school buildings, the Baker, the Paine, and 
the Sharpstein, are admirably built and 
equipped. The Baker school is the oldest of 
the three and less attractive and convenient 
than the others. The Paine school is the largest 
of the three, and in addition to the ordinary 
primary and grammar grades, contains also 
the high-school department. The Sharp- 
stein school is the most recent of the three 
and the most thoroughly provided with all 
modern conveniences. We find Prof. R. 
C. Kerr, the city superintendent. Miss L. L. 
West, the principal of the Baker school. 
Prof. F. I\L Burke, the principal of the 
Paine school, Prof. G. S. Bond, the prin- 
cipal of the Sharpstein school, and Prof. J- 
W. Shepherd and Miss Rose Dovell, of the 
high-school, to be teachers of thurough train- 
ing, large experience, and high ambition in 
their important profession. One excellent 
means of attaining their high standard has 
been the regular county and city teachers' in- 
stitutes. 



The visitor having already become inter- 
ested in the educational system of the town 
will desire to visit the other institutions of 
learning. He will very naturally make his 
way to the largest of these institutions, Whit- 
man College. He will find this college es- 
tablished in fi\-e buildings. The oldest of these 
and one of the historical landmarks of the 
town is the rear portion of the Ladies' Hall. 
This building, subsec|uently enlarged, has be- 
come a comfortable home for about thirty of 
the college girls. Adjoining this is the Con- 
servatory of Music, formerly the main recita- 
tion hall. A small building upon the left of 
this is used as a Y. M. C. A. hall. L^pon the 
north side of the street we find the two prin- 
cipal buildings of the college, Memorial Hall 
and Billings Hall. The former of these, the 
gift of Dr. D. K. Pearsons of Chicago, was 
erected at a cost of $50,000.00, in 1899. It 
is without question the finest schoul building 
in the Inland Empire, with the exception of 
the Idaho University and the Washington 
Agricultural College buildings and the Spo- 
kane high school. Billings Hall received its 
name from the sons of ]\Irs. Frederick Bill- 
ings, who was the largest individual donor, 
though many gifts, both in Walla Walla and 
in the east, were received for this noble pur- 
pose. The most interesting contrilniti'>n. how- 
ever, was one of nearly a thousnnd dollars by 
the students of the college. The faculty them- 
selves, though ill qualified to make such a con- 
tribution, added to this another thousand, and 
these subscriptions together may be said to 
have insured the completion of Ijoth builcHngs, 
since subscriptions in the town had practically 
come to a standstill, and in order to secure the 
gifts of eastern benefactors it had become 
necessary to raise the entire sum for both 
buildings before commencement of 1899. The 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



2G1 



jubilee in tiie college and aniung its friends 
everywhere, when it was knuwn that this de- 
cisive step in advancement had been taken, can 
never be forgotten by those who knew of it. 
We find Whitman College to have at the pres- 
ent time in all departments about two hun- 
dred and si.xty students, with a faculty of 
fourteen capable and enthusiastic teachers, an 
excellent library of nearly eight thousand vol- 
umes, and a well equipped physical laboratory. 

Walla Walla is evidently destined to take 
on more and more the character of an educa- 
tional center. For we have only to pass a 
dozen blocks south from Whitman College to 
find ourselves in front of the beautiful grounds 
and buildings of St. Paul's school. Liasmuch 
as we have already learned in another chapter 
the facts in the history of this institution, we 
need not here do more than enter into the com- 
modious and beautiful building erected in 
1900, and see the excellent work that is being 
done by Miss Boyet and her assistants. W^e 
shall probably meet in this visit Rev. Andreas 
Bard, the rector of the Episcopal church, who 
has been a most important factor in the build- 
ing up of this institution, as well as one of 
the brilliant lights of the Walla Walla pulpit. 

^It would not do for the visitor to Walla 
Walla interested in educational matters to fail 
of a visit to Walla Walla College, whose fine 
hrick building towers conspicuously upon 
the plain, two miles west of the city. This 
also has been elsewhere described, and it may 
sufiice to say here that a considerable village 
of honest and industrious people of the Sev- 
enth Day .\dventist faith has gathered around 
this college as a nucleus. Although devoted 
to the peculiar tenets of their faith, there is 
no question as to the excellence of the instruc- 
tion along the lines of study provided. .\nd 
whatever may be thought nf the peculiar doc- 



trinal views (if this sect, no one around Walla 
Walla doubts their sincerity of purpose and 
all heartily endorse their ideas of hygiene, 
cleanliness, and wholesome food. 

In our ]3eregrinations throughout the ir- 
regular and pictures([ue streets of the Garden 
city, we discover that although, as already in- 
timated, there is much to be desired in the way 
of improving those streets, yet that the town 
is well provided with telephone and electric 
service. It is said in fact that Walla Walla 
has more telephones according to its popula- 
tion than any other town in the state. By a 
visit to Mr. F. J. McGougan, the present man- 
ager of the city telephones, we gather the fol- 
lowing interesting matter in respect to the tele- 
phone system : 

Telephones were established in eastern 
W^ashington in 1S86. There were at that time 
a mere handful of subscribers in ^^'alla \\'alla, 
Colfax and Spokane. Upon the organization 
of the Inland Telegraph and Telephone Com- 
pany in May, 1890, three long distance lines 
v;ere established. One extended from Spokane 
to Davenport, another to the Cncur d'Alene, 
and one to Walla Walla l)y way of Colfax. 
The hard times affected the telephone business 
like others, but with the revival of 1896 the 
business of both local and long distance lines 
received an immense growth. At the present 
time there are six hundred and sixty telephone 
subscribers in ^^'alla ^^'alla. Any one of 
these can be placed in immediate communica- 
tion with ninety thousand subscribers of the 
Pacific States' Telegraph and Telephone Com- 
pany, besides many others in the territory of 
the Rocky Mountain Bel! Telephone Company, 
which comprises Idaho, Utah and Montana. 
There are also seventeen hundred public sta- 
tions in the territory of the first named com- 
pan\- which can be reached by telephone. 



262 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Every city, town, and even village in the weit 
is now reached by telephone. The equipment 
has been constantly improved, and conversa- 
tions can now be carried on at a thousand miles 
distance more easily than at a hundred miles 
ten years ago. The increase of subscribers 
during the year 1900, in the territory of the 
Pacific State Telegraph and Telephone Com- 
pany was 21,206. 

The lighting system is at the present time 
under the management of the \\'alla \\'alla 
Gas and Electric Company. The ancestor of 
this company was the Walla Walla Gas Com- 
pany, founded in 1881 by A. Pierce and C. 
M. Patterson. In 1887 Messrs. Wads^vorth and 
Bromwell, of San Francisco, and IMr. C. E. 
Burrows, of Walla Walla, became the owners 
of the gas plant. In 1888 the Walla Walla 
Electric Light and Power Company was incor- 
porated. The business does not seem to have 
been a financial success until the city agreed to 
adopt the arc lamp for public lighting. In 
1889, accordingly, the \\'alla Walla Gas and 
Electric Company was incorporated by a union 
of the two companies with a capital stock of 
one hundred thousand dollars. .At that time 
a substantial stone and brick building was 
erected, and a 140-horse power engine was in- 
stalled. This proved inadequate for the grow- 
ing needs of the city, and in 1892 the com- 
pany established a water power on Mill creek, 
upon the place of E. G. Riffle. After the es- 
tablishment of this power excellent service 
was provided, but during the past two years 
it has been found that the great increase in 
demand for lights has necessitated another in- 
crease in power. The company is, therefore, 
planning to erect a stand pipe upon their prop- 
erty on Mill creek, w'hich will greatly increase 
the capacity of the plant. The number of arc 
lights now provided in the city is "/"/. 



The immensely augmented demand for 
electric lights and the apparent financial suc- 
cess of the present company has encouraged 
other capitalists to consider the advisability 
of a new system. The city has passed an 
ordinance granting a general form of franchise 
with certain privileges and certain requirements 
of any company which may choose to enter into 
the electric business. Under this general op- 
portunity a plan for a very extensive electrical, 
apparatus at the forks of the Walla \\'alla river 
has been framed by several of the moneyed men 
of Umatilla county and of Walla W'alla. This 
company has already secured a franchise for 
the purpose of bringing light and electric 
power to the city. Gustavus X. Miller, the 
company's engineer, has recently given the fol- 
lowing information in regard to the enterprise : 

"The plant is to be situated at the forks 
of the Walla Walla river, about twelve miles 
almost due .south of this city and the buildings 
and machinerj' there to erected will cost in the 
neighborhood of two hundred and fifty thou- 
sand dollars. The power is almost unlimited 
and is by far the easiest acquired that I have 
ever seen where so great a head could be ob- 
tained. It will be necessary to pipe the water 
a distance of fourteen thousand, five hund^red 
feet in a barrel flume and at the place of 
dumping a head of two hundred feet will be 
easily obtained. This will mean at least four 
thousand horsepower and the advantages of 
such a giant force when chained and turned to 
the uses of the hands of man are too great to 
be realized at a single thinking. 

"The flume will be 54 inches in diameter 
and will be constructed of wooden staves, laid 
lengthwise. The minimum flow of W'ater at 
the dry season will he fifteen thousand gallons 
per minute and during the other portions of 
the year much greater. The electricity gen- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



26s 



erated will be conveyed to tliis city Ijy means 
of four wires and the energy lost in transmis- 
sion will, be practically nothing. There will 
be required in the city of Walla Walla a dis- 
tributing station in order that the fluid can be 
sent out to the different portions of the city 
and transferred into light or power which ever 
the case might be. 

"it is also the intention of the company 
to run lines of wire to both Athena and Weston 
and I think to Pendleton, also. Also, it is high- 
ly probable that a large amount will be used 
by the farmers both for the purpose of operat- 
ing their farm machinery and to light their 
homes. Take for example during the harvest 
season. Any farmer can own an electric 
motor. When harvest comes around he will 
cut his grain and haul it all to one point ip the 
field where his separator has been established 
and connected with his motor. It does away 
not only with the necessity of ha\'ing an en- 
gine for this work but also with salaries which 
would have to be paid to both an engineer and 
a fireman. 

"An electrical line to Milton, Waitsburg, 
and other points would also pay, I think, and 
Avill probabl}' be built within a comparatively 
short time. There is a fine chance for Walla 
Walla to improve along this line and it will 
undoubtedly be taken advantage of by some- 
one within the next few years." 

It is hardly necessary to say that in ad- 
dition to its other means of communication 
with the rest of the world, Walla Walla has 
complete telegraphic communicatinn. Init as a 
historical item of interest we are reminded by 
an old-timer with wdiom we converse that it 
was on June i, 1870, that Walla Walla was 
first connected by lightning with the outside 
world. This pioneer telegraph line was Iniilt 
by the Oregon Steam Navigation Company. 



James Henderson was the first operator in. 
Walla Walla, and the office was located on the 
southwest corner of Main and Third streets. 
The passage of the first messages was made 
a great occasion in the little city. A minute 
gun was fired and there was band music of a 
joyful nature. The first message transmitted 
was from Mayor Stone to Mayor Goldsmith, 
of Portland, and read : 

To the Mayor of Portland — Greeting: Al- 
low me to congratulate you on the completioa 
of the telegraph that places the first city of 
Oregon in connection with the metropolis of 
Washington, and to express the hope that it 
is lint the precursor of the iron rail that is to 
unite us still more indissolubly in the bonds 
of interest and affections. 

Fr.\nk Stone, 
Mayor of the City of Walla Walla. 

To which came back the following re- 
sponse : 

Portland, June i, 1870, Mayor Frank 
Stone, Walla Walla — -Your sentiments are re- 
ciprocated. May the completion of the tele- 
graph between Walla Walla and Portland tend 
to still further the prospects and good feelings 
of both cities, and your territory and our state. 
B. Goldsmith, Mayor. 

While observing the lighting systems and 
the various communication systems of the city, 
our attention is called to the fact that there are 
no street-car lines in Walla Walla. Conversation 
again with an old-timer discloses the fact that 
during the boom year of 1889 a car line was 
built from the O. R. & N. station to Second 
street, where it divided, one branch going to- 
Whitman College, the other branch to the city 



264 



HISTORY OF \\^'\LLA WALLA COUNTY. 



cemetery. After the disastrous collapse which 
followed so closely upon the heels of the boom 
(although it is proper to say that the collapse 
affected Walla Walla less than any other city 
on the Pacific coast), it became obvious that 
the street-car line was premature. Neverthe- 
less the company continued operating it for 
several years, although at a loss, and then 
granted to a local company the privilege of 
using the line without other expense than its 
maintenance for several years longer. Even 
under these conditions the company did not 
find the line sufficiently patronized to make it 
profitable. Accordingly in 1898 the line was 
entirely abandoned and the roadbed taken 
up. This pioneer street-car line would doubt- 
less have paid, even in spite of the hard times, 
had it not been for the great number of horses 
and carriages and bicycles in the town. On 
account of its having been for years a center 
of stock and agricultural interests, Walla 
Walla has abounded in horses. The people, 
moreover, have had the habit of both riding 
and driving to such an extent as not to "take" 
naturally to street-cars. By reason also of 
the large number of well equipped livery 
stables, carriage hire is very low. \^isitors 
from the sea-board towns, where from a dol- 
lar to a dollar and a half is the ordinary hack 
fare, are much astonished to discover that in 
Walla W'alla hack fare anywhere w'ithin the 
city limits is only "two bits." Furthermore, 
on account of the level site and wide streets of 
the town, it is an ideal bicycle town. And in 
spite of the fact, as we learn, that bicyclists 
have had much tribulation from city ordi- 
nances in regard to the use of sidewalks, Walla 
\\'alla is said to contain more bicycles per 
capita than any other town in the state. The 
number of bicycle tags issued by the city mar- 
shal to date is eleven hundred and fiftv. These 



tags werp issued in pursuance of an ordinance 
by the city council, imposing a tax of a dollar 
upon each bicycle. The announced purpose 
of this ta.x was to make a system of bicycle 
paths throughout the town. Thus far this 
laudable plan has languished, and many and 
violent are the anathemas w'hich bicyclists of 
all ages and sexes pronounce upon the heads 
of the "town dads." 

Our observations thus far have extended 
over the business, educational, and communi- 
cation phases of the life of the city. We can 
not do justice to our subject without learning 
something of the social, intellectual, and moral 
life of the place. Walla Walla is often called 
a "moss-back" town, and it is apparently true 
that the controlling influences are conservative 
and disinclined to venture into new schemes 
in either business or society. It appears also 
that tlie general spirit of the place is rather 
individualistic than co-operative, and that pub- 
lic enterprises, looking to municipal betterment, 
are not readily adopted. The people therefore 
"abuse" each other for their supposed lack of 
public spirit. In spite of this Walla Walla 
is conspicuous for its simplicity, hospitality, 
and general sociableness of its people. As 
noted elsewhere, there are numerous strong 
lodges of all the standard fraternities. The 
frequent entertainments and celebrations of 
these fraternities make occasions of interest 
and profit for all the people of the place. All 
manner of social gatherings are frequent and 
influential for good. One of the most potent 
public benefactions is the public library and 
reading room, where strangers may find en- 
tertainment, and young people of the place, 
who might otherwise acquire indolent and 
vicious habits, can gain solid l)enefit. 

The chief center of public entertainments 
and amusements in the place is of course the 




MAIN STREET, WALLA WALLA, IN 1877. 




MAIN STREET. WALLA WALLA, IN 1901 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



265 



Walla Walla opera house. Tliis very im- 
portant feature of a town was erected by D. 
W. Small in the year 1884. In the next j-ear, 
on account of a defect in the construction of 
the roof, a great weight of snow caused the 
building to collapse. It was but by the nar- 
rowest margin that a great number of people 
escaped being crushed within the ruins, as 
the collapse occurred but an hour or two be- 
fore a large fair was to have been opened. 
In the year 1894 the opera house came into the 
possession of Paine brothers, who made great 
improvements in it and equipped it in a first 
class manner. At the present time C. F. Van 
de Water is the lessee and manager of the 
opera house. There is an almost constant 
series of operatic and theatrical entertainments, 
mostly of a standard quality. We find a 
sentiment among the more cultured people of 
the place that the Shakesperian drama and 
other high class performances might be en- 
couraged to a larger degree, with both greater 
benefit to the public and greater profit to the 
manager. 

For a comparatively new city, the church 
life of Walla Walla is active and efficient. 
A liberal stranger, however, is impressed with 
the idea that there is too large a number of 
weak churches, and that therefore the moral 
and religious energy of the place is not utilized 
to the best advantage. We are told- that a 
religious census by the pastors of the city pro- 
duced the following general result : Number 
of families visited, 1,622; numljer of persons 
reported, 6,042; number of cluuxh attendants, 
3,733; number of church members, 2,146; 
number of Sunday school attendants, 1,677. 
A reliable index to the intellectual condi- 
tion of a place is its amount of postoffice busi- 
ness. A visit to this institution and an inter- 
view with Postmaster E. L. Brunton re\-eals 



a number of interesting facts. It is estimated 
that over fifteen thousand people receive their 
mail through the Walla Walla postoffice. 
About thirty-five hundred receive their mail 
through the boxes. There are four carriers 
at present on the city routes, with great need 
of another. There were two new clerks added 
during the past year, and the business of the 
office warrants another. The gross receipts 
of the office for 1899 were $16,378.36. Those 
for 1898 were $15,178.29 and those for 1896 
were $12,717.19. This record shows a 
steady and remarkable increase, and that for 
the year 1900 shows the same ratio of gain, 
being $17,437.17. There is reason to expect 
that, in the near future there will be established 
in Walla Walla a system of free rural delivery, 
and when this is done it will add for the 
farmers of Walla Walla one more reason for 
an affirmative answer to the question, "Is life 
worth living?" 

From the postoffice we proceed to the City 
Hall, and here by an interview with city clerk 
R. P. Reynolds we gather a number of in- 
teresting facts in regard to the city work and 
finances, in addition to those already given un- 
der the head of the water works and sewerage 
systems. Among them we learn that the gen- 
eral receipts of the city for the year 1900 were 
$45,268.04, and the expenses $32,629.38. There 
is a floating indebtedness upon the city of $27- 
806.41. In connection with the City Hall is 
the City Fire Department. And concerning 
tliis we find a very complete summary in a spe- 
cial num])er of the Daily Statesman, which we 
quote. 

"In addition to a paid fire department, 
Walla Walla has what might be considered the 
most efficient volunteer fire service of any state 
in the country. It has a comi)lete apparatus, 
consisting of two of the latest steam fire en- 



266 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



gines and a modern chemical engine, one hose 
wagon, and one Watrous aerial truck, and five 
paid men. 

"The city has a volunteer force of over 
125 men who respond to every alarm. There 
are three volunteer companies in Walla Walla, 
each of which is limited to a membership of 
40 men. The entire .department is under the 
direction of a chief, who, at the present time is 
Dr. Y. C. Blalock, one of the veterans of the 
volunteer service. Dr. Blalock is ably assisted 
by W. H. Weber, as first assistant, and Frank 
Ennis, as second assistant. The several offi- 
cers of the organization are : 

'■J. \\'. ;Mackay, president; John Smith, 
vice-president; Harry Debus, secretary, and 
J. F. Krepps, treasurer. 

"One of the oldest of the three volunteer 
companies is the Tiger No. i, which has 40 
members. Many of Walla Walla's oldest citi- 
zens have at different times served" with this 
company. The officers at present are : 

"Peter Werner, president; John Kramer, 
vice-president; W. H. Weber, secretary; Al- 
bert Neibergall, treasurer ; James Corliss, fore- 
man; William Ritter, assistant foreman; Ru- 
dolph Seifke, second assistant foreman. Tiger 
No. I was organized February 22, 1877. 

"Rescue No. i is another efficient com- 
pany, with a membership of 40, which was 
organized in March, 1894. The officers are: 
Harry Riffle, president; J. P. Scalley, vice- 
president; Frank Ennis, secretary; George 
Retzer, treasurer; William O'Rorke, foreman; 
R. M. White, assistant foreman. 

"The third company is known as 'Our 
Boys No. 3,' which was organized in July, 
1895, and has a membership of 40. Its officers 
are : J. W. Mackay, president ; William Foster, 
vice-president; Al Kelling, secretary; J. F. 
Krepps, treasurer; John Bachtold, foreman. 



James W. Mackay is one of the oldest members 
in the volunteer fire service, having joined in 
1895, ^n<i served continuously since that time. 
He has been the president of 'Our Boys No. 
3' company, since 1893, and was president 
of the Eastern Oregon and Washington Fire- 
man's Association in 1898. 

"Harry Debus, the present secretary of the 
local organization, started as a torch-boy with 
Tiger No. i, in 1879, and has served contin- 
uously ever since that time. He has, at vari- 
ous times, held the offices of president, secre- 
tary and treasurer of his company. Mr. De- 
bus was a prominent member of one of the 
early hose teams and has been on several of 
the teams which have won the state champion- 
ship in the various contests of the Eastern Ore- 
gon and Washington Fireman's Association. 

"Many of the oldest resident citizens of 
Walla Walla have served a full term in one 
of the three volunteer companies and are 
now on the retired list. Among them are : 
John Aheit, Sr., Jacob Betz, John P. Kent, 
A. Swartz, Emil Sanderson, J. J. Kauffman 
and J. P. Justice. 

"The term of service in the volunteer fire 
department is seven years, during which time 
and thereafter the members are exempt from 
the payment of poll tax and service as jury- 
men. About one hundred are now on what is 
termed the retired list, having completed seven 
years of service and received honorable dis- 
charges. Every member of each company is 
expected to respond to the alarm of fire, day 
or night, and if an employe of any firm in the 
city, he is permitted to leave his work, without 
a deduction of his salary. 

"The aim and object of the volunteer fire 
department is, in addition to providing a force 
for protection against fire, to hold annual 
tournaments, annual competitions and picnics 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



267 



and to Tender assistance to any disabled per- 
sons who have received injuries while on duty. 

"The next meeting and tournament of the 
Eastern Oregon and Washington Fireman's 
Association will be held in Walla Walla, on 
June 13 and 14. During this meeting there will 
be various contests, and Walla Walla's cele- 
brated hose team will again be a competitor 
in one of the competitions. This team under 
the captaincy of Emil Sanderson, has won the 
championship in all the contests since 1885, 
and there is but little doubt that it. will carry 
off the laurels at the coming tournament. 

"Walla Walla has the distinction of having 
the first steam apparatus in the state of Wash- 
ington. The volunteer fire department was or- 
ganized in 1868, the Tigers being the first 
company, and operating an old-time hand en- 
gine when the company was first organized, 
and for some time thereafter." 

Questions of sewerage and water-works 
having been satisfactorily settled, the greatest 
subject now looming up in municipal politics 
is that of a new charter. Walla Walla has 
existed under a unique charter, the only one 
of the kind in the state, bestowed upon the city 
in territorial days. As it appears that Walla 
\\'alla has now surpassed the population of ten 
thousand people, and become a city of the sec- 
or:d class, the question is being agitated as to 
reincorporation. It will be an interesting thing 
to future readers and historians to find here a 
statement of the requirements for such reincor- 
poration, together with something of current 
public opinion in regard to it. An examination 
of the laws with respect to this elicits the fol- 
fowing facts : 

To become a city of the second c'ass there 
must be a petition signed by two hundred or 
more freeholders of Walla Walla presented to 
the council, and that body must call a special 



election to designate that at the next regular 
election this cpestion will be submitted to the 
voters of the city. In voting for this the mark- 
ing on the ballot will be "For Advancement" 
or "Against Advancement." After it has been 
decided to become a second class city, there 
m.ust be an election held at which the following 
officers are to be chosen by the people : Mayor, 
twelve councilmen, collector and street com- 
missioner (combined), assessor, police judge, 
and city attorney. 

The changes resulting from passing into 
the second class would be many. The increase 
in the council would be followed by an in- 
crease in the permissible expenses of the city 
government. There would be no necessary in- 
crease in the expenses, but some of the salaries 
might be made higher if the board of aldermen 
saw fit. 

One of the most important changes would 
be in the schools inside the city limits which, 
according to the law, have already ceased to 
exist as district schools and have entered the 
class of city schools. This form of school re- 
quires a board of education consisting of five 
m.embers instead of a school board of three 
n;embers as at present. The members of this 
board are elected for a term of three years, 
the election occurring the first Saturday in the 
month of November. The board of directors 
of the public library is also changed from three 
to five, which are appointed by the mayor with 
the consent of the council. 

The other officers of the cit\' shall be ap- 
pointed by the mayor with the consent of the 
council and shall be : Chief of police, treas- 
urer, clerk, surve3'or, poundmaster, and. if so 
desired, superintendent of irrigation. For 
these officers the salaries of only the chief of 
police, clerk and trcasiu'er are stipulated.. The 
chief of police cannot receive m(M"e than one 



268 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



thousand dollars per year, the treasurer fifteen 
hundred dollars, and the city clerk the sum of 
one hundred and fifty dollars per month. 

The salaries of the city attorney and tiie 
city justice are not stipulated and may lie fixed 
ar whatever the council may see fit. The as- 
sessor will be paid the sum of five hundred dol- 
lars per year and the collector and street com- 
missioner cannot draw more than fifteen hun- 
dred dollars per year. Xo other salaries are 
stipulated. The chief of the fire department 
will he elected by the council and not by the 
volunteer firemen as at the present time. There 
may also be, if the council sees fit, a city jailor, 
to be appointed by the mayor. 

The city election is fixed for the fir.-^t Mon- 
day after the first Tuesday in December and six 
councilmen shall be elected each year after the 
first election, at which time the entire tweive will 
be chosen, the hold-overs to l)e decided by lot. 
The council must choose one of its number to 
act as president during the absence of tlie mayor 
and tiiere shall be a board of three councilmen, 
whose duty it shall be to try all cases of com- 
plaint against policemen or other city officers 
for neglect of duty, exceeding their authority 
and similar crimes whenever such charges shall 
have been preferred. The mayor shall have a 
vote in case of a tie in the council. 

Any oliiccr shall have the power to select 
and appoint, subject to the approval of the 
council, such deputies as he may deem neces- 
sary for the proper performance of the duties 
of his office. The salaries of these deputies 
must not exceed the sum of one hundred dol- 
lars per month in any case. 

In connection with the question of a new 
charter a difference of opinion has developed, 
the central point of which seems to be the 
powers of the mayor. The conflicting opinions 
have been represented by the Union and the 



Statesman, the former maintaining the -con- 
centration of power in the hands of the mayor, 
and the latter advocating a ixjpular election for 
every ofificer and a consequent distrilnition of 
power, and consequently it favors the retention 
of the present charter. We present extracts 
from the two papers, in the belief that such a 
preservation of current opinion will prove of 
liermanent interest : 

From Walla \\^alla Union of February i6, 
1901 : 

Spokane is discussing the proprifty of giving the 
mayor more authority on appointnifnts. It is believed 
that in this way the expenditures can be kejit under bet- 
ter control. The idea is that the mayor is the general 
manager of a business, and that to be successful he should 
be given the widest scope in his management of affairs, 
and then be held responsible for results. 

There is something in this that should appeal to the 
people of Walla Walla. In Spokane the mayor is rec- 
ognized as the head of the city government, but there is 
also a board of county commifsioners, a board of public 
works and a board of tire commissioners. The individu- 
als appointed by the mayor constitute these boards, one 
member being the head of each board and these boards 
select the appointees. By this act the mayor loses actual 
control and vests it in his appointees. In a measure this 
IS a success, but it is not as successful as it would be in 
case the appointments were directly in the hands of the 
mayor. There is a chance for the mayor to evade the 
responsibility for errors, which should not be. 

If the control of the city government is placed in the 
hands of the mayor, then the people can hold him re- 
sponsible for the errors and by the same token he is en- 
titled to the credit for a successful administration. The 
people should not divide the responsibility. For good 
work or bad it should be placed as nearly as possible in 
the head of the city government. 

It is jiroper and right that the mayor, the treasurer, 
the councilmen, the assessor, the police judge or city jus- 
tice and the street commissioner should be elected by the 
people, am) there would be no great harm done if the 
clerk and the attorney were also elected, though there is 
no doubt but the better government would be secured if 
the clerk and the attorney were appointed. This is not a 
new suggestion. It is the method which applies in a major- 
ity of the cities, large and small, in all the cities of the 
United States. It is found to be good law in Spokane 
Seattle and Tacoma: why is it not good law here to ap- 
point the head of the police department, and have him 
responsible to the mayor? ,-\s has been pointed out 
before, if the mayor is to be the head of the city govern- 
ment and is to be held responsible for the success of his 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



269 



administration, lie should have thf police force under, 
not ecjual with, him. The attorney is largely counsel for 
the mayor and the council; thence he should be appoint- 
ed and confirmed, for in this manner an attorney is 
always secured who is acceptable and in whom all parties 
have confidence. The clerk is very close to the council 
and could be appointed, as he should be chosen for his 
clerical ability rather than anything else, though as other 
duties are placed upon him it is largely a technical (jues- 
tion whether he is elected or appointed. 

From Statesman of February 18, 1901 : 

It is proposed to make for Walla Walla a new charter. 
There are not many reasons apparent for this change, 
but since we have reached the dignity of a city of the 
seeond class in point of population there are those who 
think we should cast aside our former official clothing 
and wear something different. 

There is a plot in this proposed program. One not 
seen by the people at a glance, and yet one which in 
future years may seem a great deal to everyone here. It 
is suggested by" some," and argued by the Union, the 
organ of these " some," that the offices of chief of police, 
attorney and clerk be appointed; that they be named by 
the mayor and held at his will. There is no reason in the 
world for such a move save a desire to build up a politi- 
cal machine. 

And there is exactly the plot at this time. 

If the mayor can name the chief of police, the chief of 
the fire department, the attorney and the clerk, will he 
not name those who have used their pull to get him in 
office, and who, when they are once in, will use their offi- 
cial positions to continue the machine of which they are 
then a part? Has this not been the history of all cities? 
Is it not the very thing which is causing trouble and scan- 
dal in more than one city at this time? Is not this build- 
ing of political machines the cause of forcing honest 
citizens in many cities to take the work of reform in their 
own hands. 

The city of Walla Walla may be metropolitan, but it 
is not metropolitan to the extent that it desires a corrupt 
machine in the city hall and a public scandal in the 
papers. Elect the officers. Bring every man who is 
connected with the management of city affairs as close to 
the people as possible. Have the people say whom they 
may want for chief of police, for clerk and for attorney. 
In county affairs are certain officers appointed that better 
men may he secured? More efficient men are secured 
by appointment than by election, argues the Union. Then 
why not, in county affairs, appoint the clerk and the at- 
torney and the sheriff instead of electing them? 

The giving of too much power to the mayor is danger- 
ous. It has so proven in every city in which it has been 
done, and Walla Walla ought to recognize the fact that 
she can gain much by the experience of others. 

One of the most imi)nrtant and Iiistoric in- 
stitutions in rir amund tiie citv is Fort Walla 



\\'alla. It is sometimes necessary to remind a 
stranger that Fort Walla Walla, under the 
Hudson's Bay regime, meant the old fort at 
the present site of Wallula. As elsewhere 
narrated, that was abandoned about the year 
1853. Jn the winter of 1856-7 rude barracks 
were established by the soldiers within the 
present limits of Walla Walla city. During 
the fall of 1856 a considerable number of 
soldiers occupied huts constructed of poles and 
slabs set on end and roofed witli dirt, brush, 
and rye grass. Several log cabins for the of- 
ficers were put up in the same vicinity, which 
was the present location of McBride's 1 '• • 
stable. One of those buildings was standing 
until about six years ago. In October of 1856 
General Wool directed Colonel Wright to es- 
tablish a pennanent military post at some point 
ii-. the Walla Walla valley. In pursuance of 
these directions Colonel Wright issued orders 
from his post at The Dalles to Colonel Step- 
toe to locate the post. The present location of 
the post (and a more beautiful and convenient 
one it would be hard to imagine) is due to 
Colonel Steptoe, assisted by Charles Russell and 
Joseph McEvoy. In the spring of 1S57 per- 
manent buildings were erected and Lieutenant- 
Colonel Steptoe took charge of the fort. By 
i860 the buildings were substantially as at 
present. 

Our space is insufficient to give any his- 
torical narrative of Fort Walla Walla. Suffice 
it to say that it has been a prominent financial 
and social, as well as military, feature of the 
place. There have been usually about two hun- 
dred soldiers established here. There has been 
m.uch talk at times of abandonment of the fort, 
but it seems now that there is no reason to ap- 
]5rehend such a step in the near future. Thou- 
sands of dollars are spent yearly in the county 
for the inirchase of provisions and equipment 



270 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



for tlie fort. The gallant officers, together with 
the accomplished ladies of the fort, have be- 
come almost indespensable to the ongoings of 
society in the town. For these and allied 
reasons the people of Walla Walla greatly de- 
precate any talk of abandonment. 

We have mentioned bnt a small part of the 
interesting features, historical and descriptive, 
which an extended visit to the Garden city 
would reveal. Every visitor to Walla Walla 
must see the \Miitman monument and old mis- 
sion grounds. He must spend at least part of 
the day upon Dr. Blalock's great fruit ranch. 
It is equally incumbent upon him to go to the 
magnificent wheat ranch of W. P. Reser and 



"see the elk." Nor could any one truthfully 
consider that he had seen Walla Walla unless 
he had ridden behind one of the spanking teams 
for which the town is noted up the wild and 
picturesque canyon of Mill creek to the points 
which are favorite resorts for camping parties 
during the hot Walla Walla summers. These 
and many more things must be deferred to a 
later visit. 

In concluding this chapter, and with it this 
history, we will only add : — If a period of forty 
years since the termination of bloody Indian 
wars can effect all the changes which greet our 
eyes on all sides, what will be accomplished by 
the next forty years? 




BIOGRAPHICAL 



RECORDS 




BIOGRAPHICAL RECORDS 



HOLLON PARKER.— Not all men order 
their lives to their own liking; nor yet are all 
men true to their ideals and their potentiality 
for individual accomplishment. It is, therefore, 
ever gratifying to take under review the life 
history of one who has wrought earnestly and 
faithfully and has proved a power for good in 
various relations of human existence, maintain- 
ing a high sense of his stewardship and having 
a constant recognition of the extraneous re- 
\sponsibilities concomitant with personal suc- 
cess. Such a man is he whose name initiates 
this paragraph, and no compilation having to 
do with the annals of Walla Walla county or 
the present state of Washington would lie con- 
sistent with itself were there a failure to incor- 
porate a summary of his active and signally 
useful career. 

The subject of this review is a native of 
the old Empire state, having been born in Ar- 
cada, near Palmyra, Wayne county. New York, 
October 2, 1832. His father, Preston R. Par- 
ker, was numbered among the early settlers in 
the northwestern part of New York state, hav- 
ing located his farm about thirty miles east 
of the city of Rochester. He rendered yeoman 
service in the war of 18 12, after which he de- 
voted his attention to the clearing and cultiva- 
tion of his farmstead, which was as yet prac- 
tically a primiti\-e forest. With his own hands 
hie felled the heavy timlier, laboring assiduously 
to establish a home for his familv. He was 

18 



united in marriage to Miss Lana Sanford, and 
they became the parents of six sons and four 
daughters, Hollon Parker being the sixth in 
order of birth. The father was a man of spot- 
less character and marked intellectual strength, 
and for about half a century he rendered de- 
voted and efficient service in the ministry of 
the divine Master. 

The preliminary educational discipline of 
our subject was attained through the somewhat 
meagre sources afforded in the early days, and 
through which so many of our most eminent 
men have risen to exalted station and high 
preferment. He attended the primitive log 
schoolhouse, where he laid the foundation for 
that broad general information and ripe intel- 
lectuality which have marked his later years. 
Plis later successes in life are doubtless due not 
less to his own indomitable spirit and firmness 
of character than to the atmosphere of his early 
youth and the worthy example of his honored 
father and most estimable mother, the latter 
being a representative of one of the foremost 
families of the old Empire state. Endowed 
with sturdy independence of spirit and with a 
courage born of his recognition of his own 
powers to will and to do, Hollon Parker severed 
home ties at the early age of nineteen years 
and started for the far west, intending to re- 
turn at the expiration of two years and to fit 
himself for college. Crossing the isthmus of 
Panama, part of the distance on foot, he ar- 



274 



HISTORY OF \\-ALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



rived in San Francisco on May 22, 1852. fol- 
lowing- tlie rusli into the mines in the northern 
part of tile state. Although fatigued from his 
long journey and emaciated by the fevers of 
the swamps of Panama, he finally succeeded 
in reaching the mines alive. It was here that 
the true grain and fiber of his most commend- 
able nature manifested themselves to the best 
advantage. Fully seven thousand miles from 
home, by the isthmus route, five hundred dol- 
lars in debt, a veritable walking skeleton, alone 
and among strangers, with not a dollar in his 
pocket and with a hard, cold winter at hand, — 
the prospects were assuredly not alluring. 
After various efforts he finally secured an in- 
door position for the winter, at fifty dollars 
per month. This stipend seems all the more 
diminutive when we take into consideration 
the circumstance that in the more remote min- 
ing- districts fiour was at this time worth one 
dollar and twenty-five cents per pound, salt six- 
teen dollars per pound, and other necessities in 
proportion. This was in the winter of 1852-3. 
Mr. Parker afterward taught school in the 
northern part of the state, saving his earnings, 
and finally, on October 28, 1853. engaged in 
business with a jiartner. under the firm name 
of Parker & Roman, in Yreka, Siskiyou coun- 
ty, California, handling a line of books, sta- 
tionery and notions. He continued in this line 
for over seven years, within which tinie he had 
accumulated about forty thousand dollars' 
worth of real estate and other property. These 
investments, mostly brick stores and merchan- 
dise, were lost during the dry winters which 
proved so disastrous to that country at that 
time, and by his being deceived in those in 
whom he trusted and had confidence. 

In August, 1855, Mr. Parker, accompany- 
ing several others on an exploring exj^edition, 
made the ascent of Mount Shasta, a feat that 



had been declared impossible by Fremont. In 
the party were three physicians, two of whorn 
were overcome with the gases and sulphurous 
vapors emanating from the boiling springs of 
the old crater at the summit of the mountain, 
several weeks elapsing before they were fully 
recovered from the effects of this ordeal. 

In 1856 ^Ir. Parker returned to his home 
in New York state, and while there was an 
acti\e member of the Wayne county convention 
whicli supported James Buchanan for the presi- 
dency. After the election Mr. Parker attended 
the inaugural ceremonies at the federal capital, 
and while there was one of over four hundred 
victims who, with President Buchanan, were 
poisoned at one of the leading hotels in the 
city, and of whom forty or more died, while 
many were left injured for life, Mr. Parker 
hmiself not recovering from the effects for 
man}^ years. 

In the spring of 1862, after having closed 
his stores at Yreka, California, and Jackson- 
ville, Oregon, Mr. Parker started north for 
the then celebrated Oro Fino mining camp in 
northern Idaho, arriving at Portland. Oregon, 
the following April. Continuing his journey 
northward, he arrived at Walla Walla about 
the middle of July, 1862, and here he lias ever 
since maintained his home. His intention had 
been to visit his brother, Esbon B. Parker. 
who owned some valuable mining property at 
Oro Fino. and then to return to San Francisco, 
w here he had his dental instruments and stock, 
intending to go to Lima, South America, for 
the purpose of entering upon the practice of 
dentistry in tliat place, for he had become 
an expert in this profession. However, after 
looking about in Wall Walla, he decided to 
again enter the mercantile business, handling 
his old line of books, stationery, etc. 

In 1863. ha\ing procured the requisite 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



275 



papers, Mr. Parker effected in \\'alla Walla 
the organization of the L'nion Leagne. whose 
object was the promotion of a spirit of patriot- 
ism among the citizens of the commnnit}-, and 
he was an active and zealons worker in the 
Union cause throughout the entire period of 
the war of the Rebellion. Although it met 
with some opposition, the league proved a suc- 
cess and gave to the country the impetus then 
necessary to clear it of the blacklegs and thieves 
who had secured such a vital hold upon the 
community that it had become necessary to 
organize a vigilance committee to protect the 
lives and property of the citizens. During this 
time Mr. Parker, with the able co-operation of 
Messrs. Thomas K. ]\IcCoy and Anderson Cox, 
worked incessantly to secure for the people hon- 
est and just go\-ernment and a more fa\'orable 
condition of judicial affairs. 

In the summer of 1863 Mr. Parker was 
elected a delegate to the Republican territorial 
convention, held at Vancouver, \\niile there 
he entered into a contract with the registrar 
and the receiver of the United States land of- 
fice, and agreed to pay their expenses, which 
the United States refused to do, in order that 
the}' might come to Walla Walla and give set- 
tlers an opportunitv to secure titles to their land 
before the same could be bought by speculators, 
as there was to be a government sale of the 
same lands the following month. Ijt this praise- 
worthy undertaking he was successful and 
thereby saved for the community over fifteen 
thousand dollars which would have been lost 
liad the settlers been obliged to go to the land 
office. In 1864 Mr. Parker, in connection with 
his other business, and at an outlay of sev- 
eral thousand dollars, opened a private land of- 
fice in Walla Walla, the object being to enable 
the new settlers to file on their land claims 
without going to Vancouver and Oregon City 



land ofiices. Simultaneously he engaged in the 
practice of law. Although his busine.-s had now 
assumed such proportions as to recpiire almost 
b.is entire time, he practiced one year in the 
L'nited States district court, and became in- 
terested very successfully in politics, so con- 
tinuing until i86g. 

During this time there was \-igorous agita- 
tion of the question of annexing southeast- 
ern Washington to Oregon, the territory in 
cjuestion lying south of the Snake river and 
including what are now the counties of 
Walla Walla, Columbia, Asotin and Gar- 
field. The measure was favored by An- 
derson Cox and many other prominent men 
in both Washington and Oregon. Mr. Cox 
having been elected to the Washington legis- 
lature, instead of approaching that body, ap- 
peared at Salem, Oregon, and helped to secure 
the passage by the legislature of that state of 
a memorial praying congress that the territory 
mentioned might be annexed to the state of 
Oregon. Upon learning of this action ]\Ir. 
Parker forthwith brought strong but secret 
forces to bear in opposition to the proposed 
scheme of annexation, and by his influence with 
the political leaders of Washington succeeded 
in preventing this consummation. The direct 
import of this movement may not have been 
evident to those of less foresight, but had this 
portion of Washington been annexed to Ore- 
gon, strongly Democratic in its political com- 
plexion as it then was, it would have thrown 
Oregon into the Democratic fold, in which case 
the entire political status of the nation would 
have been changed, as the Democratic vote of 
Oregon, with such supplemental territory, 
would have elected Tilden to the presidency of 
the United States. For his services and zeal 
in behalf of the country and his party Mr. Par- 
ker received the consideration and confidence 



276 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



of the government, and it may safely lie said 
tb.at through such inlluence he could have pro- 
cured almost any office or position pertaining 
tc the territory of Washington, had he so de- 
sired. 

On the 4th of February, 1869, ^h. Parker 
started to attend the inauguration of Presi- 
dent Grant. By means of a stage coach, a sled 
and a mud wagon he succeeded in traversing a 
distance of eight hundred miles, reaching the 
western terminus of the Union Pacific Rail- 
road, at a little town called Wasatch, where he 
discovered that the railroad was blocked by 
snow. After a short delay the railroad com- 
pany transferred the party to Rawlins, where 
they found about two hundred other delayed 
passengers, many without provisions or money. 
From Rawlins they telegraphed to the Con- 
gressional committee on railroads at Washing- 
ton a repeated message for aid, the cost of 
transmission Ijeing forty dollars. The pas- 
sengers selected ]\Ir. Parker as leader and as 
one of a committee of three to devise ways 
and means of transportation and relief. After 
an unsatisfactory interview, the railroad of- 
ficials proposed that if the passengers would 
provide themselves with food for three days 
they themselves would furnish a carload of 
shovels for digging out the snow, and would 
thus send them on. This proved to be a gross 
deceit, for the engine was run into a snow- 
filled cut and the passengers were left without 
the implements for digging the snow, at the 
little coal mining place and station of Carbon. 
Realizing the danger of distress and even star- 
vation with their scanty provisions, the able 
bodied men left the bulk of the food for the 
women, children and old men and set out afoot 
for Cheyenne, a distance of over a hundred 
miles. After much distress (some having feet 
and hands frozen) they reached Cheyenne and 



an open railroad and proceeded thence to Oma- 
ha. One passenger died from exposure before 
reaching Omaha. From Omaha they proceeded 
to Washington, where they arrived three day3 
after the inauguration. 

^Ir. Parker was introtluced by Horace 
Greeley, May 18, 1869, to the Farmers' Club 
American Institute, New York city, and before 
this body was given a hearing as to the Walla' 
Walla valley and its various resources. The 
report which he thus entered was publislied in 
many of the leading papers throughout the east, 
in a circulation of over half a million (see 
report of said meeting in the New York Herald, 
Tribune, Sun, W^orld, Times, Scientific Amer- 
ican, Independent, Rural New Yorker and 
many other papers), and this constituted the 
first legitimate advertising of the Walla Walla 
valley. As a result of this Mr. Parker re- 
ceived a great many letters from various parts 
of the United States, and these were faithfully 
answered. For two months or more he worked 
at Washington city, serving the public in his 
efforts to secure better mail facilities and to 
further other important measures. Realizing 
the immense value of such work to them, Le- 
land Stanford, president of the Central Pa- 
cific Railroad, the authorities of the Union Pa- 
cific Railroad and John Haley, Sr., of the 
stage lines, placed their transportation at the 
disposal of ]\Ir. Parker, gratis. In the same 
year, in the month of May, Mr. Parker was an 
active member of the first national woman's 
tjufifrage convention, the same being held in 
New York city. 

It was through JNIr. Parker's efforts while 
in Washington, in 1869. that the commissioner 
of the general land office so changed the rules 
of the department for all the United States 
land offices that the settlers on government 
land could prove up by deposition instead of 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



2/7 



the personal appearance of witnesses, thus sav- 
ing the cost of their journey to the land office, 
which was o\'er one hundred dollars for each 
witness. Mr. Parker also succeeded, by the 
aid of Senator Wilson of Massachusetts, after- 
Avards vice-president of the United States, in 
securing the enactment of a provision of law 
whereby veteran soldiers could receive the hun- 
dred dollars bounty to be paid to each by draft 
on the United States treasury without the ex- 
pense of a journey to Oregon Cit)% where the 
paymaster was located. 

For nearl}' two years the judges of the 
supreme court of Washington Territory, the 
delegate to congress and others of unmistak- 
able influence had made efforts to ha\'e ap- 
pointed for the territory registrars in bank- 
ruptcy, under the United States bankrupt law. 
All these efforts had resulted in failure, but 
I\Ir. Parker, tlirough his private influence with 
Chief Justice Chase, succeeded in having three 
lawyers of his own selection appointed to fill 
the positions noted. For five consecutive years 
the Walla \Valla Board of Trade elected Mr. 
Parker delegate to the Columbia river water- 
way conventions, which were held at various 
places, the object in view being to aid and en- 
•courage the movement to open the Columbia 
river to navigation, and it was through his 
efforts that much was done toward agitating 
this important question. Its importance may 
be understood when we revert to the fact that 
the people now living in the great Columbia 
basin, which is drained by the Columbia river, 
and whose area is more than two hundred and 
fifty thousand square miles, — equal in extent 
to the whole area of New England, New York 
and Ohio, and a portion of Pennsylvania. — 
could not but receive untold benefit by the 
opening up of the river to navigation, as this 



area is opulent with the wealth of mines of 
gold, silver, copper, iron and other metals, also 
of timber and other products — an area capable 
of supporting many millions of people. (See 
Smalley's Magazine, St. Paul, Minnesota, Au- 
gust, 1887, for information in regard to this.) 
In this connection Mr. Parker was on the com- 
mittee for memorial to congress, the most im- 
portant committee, and in October, 1890, he 
was unanimously elected its president, which 
incumbency he has since retained. 

After nearly a quarter of a century of close 
application to sedentary business Mr. Parker 
found it necessary to seek employment in the 
open air, accordingly taking to the saddle and 
for four years superintending the fencing and 
cultivation of several thousand acres of land 
which he had acquired in \'arious counties. His 
diligence rewarded him by a return of from 
tliirty to fort}' bushels of wheat to the acre on 
land upon which ten years before he would not 
have paid the taxes. Wheat at this time was 
bringing only thirty cents per bushel, owing to 
exorbitant transportation charges, and eight- 
een per cent, interest paid on money secured 
from the banks. Mr. Parker has since con- 
tinued to devote his attention to the superin- 
tending of his farming and various other prop- 
erties, his success in temporal affairs being ex- 
ceptional and entirely the result of his own 
well directed eft'orts. After his arrival in the 
beautiful \Valla \Valla valley, although he had 
traveled extensively throughout the United 
States, in almost every latitude, the various 
ar,d wonderful attractions of the valley, the 
mild, healthful, invigorating climate, the 
various prolific resources, implying the produc- 
tion of almost every kind of vegetable, fruit 
and grain, — have kept him so cliarined since 
first he found the Eureka of his travels that 



278 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



no place on Puget sound, or in Oregon or Cali- 
fornia, or in any part of the United States, 
has induced him to change his home. 

.Vmong the tourist experiences of Mr. Par- 
ker's life that which he recalls with the keenest 
pleasure is his tour to .Vlaska in August. 1899, 
in what was known as the "Presbyterian ex- 
cursion." There were some two hundred ex- 
cursionists, and when they reached that marvel 
of marvels. Muir glacier, only fifteen of the 
number dared to .scale its icy clilYs and cross 
its treacherous crevasses. Mr. Parker, active 
in spite of his years, was one of the fifteen to 
accomplish this feat. He regards the Muir 
glacier and its surroundings as the most sub- 
lime and awe-inspiring of all the scenes that 
he has witnessed. 

Mr. Parker is now in the ripe fullness of a 
perfectly matured life and has reached that 
point along the journey where he may pause 
and glance with calm retrospection upon the 
labors and vicissitudes of his past life, noting 
the obstacles he has surmounted, the efforts 
which it has been his to render in the cause of 
humanity, the successes which have been worth- 
ily gained and the manifold blessings which 
have been iiis portion, feeling in the meanwhile 
the satisfaction which ever comes to one who 
has striven to do his duty to his fellow men. 
To him has come the tranquil leisure which is 
the crown of a well spent life, and in the com- 
munity where he has lived and lalx)red he is 
held in high esteem by all who have apprecia- 
tion of honest, sterling worth and character. 
His life has been exemplary, — his charity broad 
but discriminating, his benefactions to the pub- 
lic of wide scope and importance an,d his in- 
fluence ever arrayed in support of the right. 
He has lived a strictly temperate life, even 
through the years of early settlement, while in- 
temperance has hurried many of his acquaint- 



ances and comjianions into untimely graves. 
He has ever kept in touch with the questions 
and topics of the hour, bringing to bear a ma- 
ture judgment and rare discrimination in con- 
sidering all matters of public polity, and his 
opinions as expressed through the press or by 
personal dictum, carry weight under all cir- 
cumstances. 

Thoroughly con\inced of the justice and 
value of the single ta.x principles as advocated 
by Henry George, Mr. Parker has given to 
the same the strongest indorsement, having 
given the matter careful and discriminating 
study and having become confirmed in the be- 
lief that through the operation of these prin- 
ciples, as practically applied, will result the 
greatest good to the greatest number. Xever 
lacking the courage of his convictions, he made 
a very vigorous effort, in 1899, to secure a 
popular indorsement of this measure by the 
people of the state, and to provide for a better 
comprehension of it. His princely offers of 
financial contributions to the cause are a mat- 
ter of history, and he is still hopeful that his 
own state may be enabled to introduce the meas- 
ure in which he so earnestly believes. Mr. 
Parker, after forty years of actual litigation 
in the courts of the land, from the lowest to 
the highest, gives as his admonition to all the 
statement that it is far better it possible for 
all disputes to be settled by arbitration rather 
than in the courts. He has, however, been com- 
pelled in his extensive practice, to secure two 
mandamuses from the supreme court of the 
L'nited States. 

While residing in the east Mr. Parker 
identified himself with the time-honored fra- 
ternity of Free and .Vccepted Masons. He rose 
to the degree of Master Mason in Palmyra 
Lodge. Xo. 248, in Wayne county. Xew York. 
He also took three degrees in Lodge Xo. 463, 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



279- 



L O. O. F., in East Palmyra. Some years 
afterward he secured a dimit and traveling card 
from each of these lodges, but so pressing have 
been the demands upon his time and attention 
tl'.at he has nnt maintained an active affiliation 
with these bodies during his residence in the 
west. 

On the 13th of January, 1872, was solem- 
nized the marriage of Mr. Parker and Miss 
Laura Glenn, of New Lisbon, Columbiana 
county, Ohio, she being a sister of the late 
Dr. J. G. Glenn, of Portland, Oregon. Of the 
three children of this union only one is living, 
Orrin (jlenn Parker, who was born June 2, 
1876, and who is now assisting his father in 
the management of their large interests. The 
beautiful tuin daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Par- 
ker died of diphtheria in the winter of 1878-9, 
aged six years. 

Among the mental characteristics of the 
subject of this review may be mentioned keen 
discernment of the meaning and measure of 
things about him, determination to accomplish 
whatever lie undertakes, self-reliance, and in- 
dependence of thought and action, and an 
imagination fervid and yet signally tempered 
by good judgment. In religion he has a deep 
and abiding reverence for those fundamental 
principles which are the conservators of the 
welfare of men and the favor of the Deity. 
His faith in the Divine Master is fixed and un- 
wavering and in the declining years of his long 
and useful life he will have the solace and con- 
solation of the "faith that makes faithful." 



GEORGE W. BABCOCK.— It is with 
marked gratification that we accord representa- 
tion in this work to one who has been so prom- 
inentlv identified with the affairs of the Pa- 



cific coast region and who has so materially 
aided in its development as has the gentle- 
man whose name introduces this paragraph. 
A native of the far east, he is yet a pioneer of 
the far west, and his life has been one of cease- 
less endeavor in varied fields of activity, while 
his sterling worth has retained to him an un- 
wavering respect and confidence. As one of 
the leading citizens of Walla Walla, where 
he holds high prestige as an architect and 
builder, it is clearly consistent that a review of 
his life should be entered in this compilation. 

]\Ir. Babcock, whose pleasant home is lo- 
cated at 109 Alder street, was born in the his- 
toric old city of Providence, Rhode Island, 
in the year 1832, and that place continued to 
be his home until he was a lad of six years, 
when he accompanied his parents on their re- 
moval to the Empire state, where he received 
his preliminary educational discipline in the 
public schools, attending the same until the 
age of fourteen. His parents then made a 
second removal, this time locating in the state 
of Illinois, where the young man again took 
up his school work, completing the same by 
one year's attendance at Hillsboro College. 

In that town also he gave inception to his 
business career, early proving his distinctive 
capacity for successful individual effort. For 
about five years he engaged in selling clocks, 
pumps, lightning rods, etc., at the expiration 
of which period he yielded to the western fever 
which animated him and in 1S50 emigrated 
to California, making the long and weary 
journey across the plains with a team and 
wagon, the trip being of si.x months and nine 
days duration. , 

-Arriving in the Golden state, he was there 
engaged in mining pursuits for a decade, his 
headquarters being at Hangtown. now known 
as Placerville. From this point he proceeded 



28o 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



to San Francisco, where he devoted his atten- 
tion to work as an architect and builder for 
some time, meeting with success and eventual- 
ly curtailing his operations to the functions of 
an architect only. 

From "Frisco"' Mr. Backcock came for- 
ward to identify his interests with those of 
the famed "Inland Empire," remaining in Spo- 
kane for six months and coming thence, in 
1885. to \\'alla Walla for the purpose of lo- 
cating the \Vashington state penitentiary, for 
the buildings of which he furnished the plans 
and specifications and personally superintend- 
ed the erection thereof. He has ever since been 
a resident of this city, where he has erected 
many of the most important public and pri- 
vate buildings and where he has been contin- 
uously engaged as an architect. 

Mr. Babcock has ever maintained a lively 
and discriminating interest in pul)lic affairs of 
a local nature, having been a member of the 
city council in Oakland, California, prior to 
his removal to Washington, w'hile in 1899 he 
was chosen to a similar incumbency in Walla 
Walla, being chairman of the finance commit- 
tee of the council at the time of this writing. 
Fraternall)" he is very prominently identified 
Avith the Masonic order, in which he has at- 
tained the Knights Templar degrees in the York 
rite and has advanced to the thirty-second de- 
gree, as a sublime prince of the royal secret 
in the Scottish rite. He is also a noble of the 
Mystic Shrine, the social adjunct of Free- 
masonry. In connection with other business 
associations he is vice-president of the Farmers' 
Savings bank, of Walla Walla. 

In Eldorado county, California, in the 
year 1856, Mr. Babcock married Miss Annie 
Shirley, whose demise occurred in 1864. In 
1867. in San Francisco, he consummated a 
second marriage, being then united to ^Irs. 



Anna J. Crosby. By the first marriage there 
was one child, Camilla, who is now at home 
with her father. 



JAMES P. GOODHUE.— The man whose 
life history it is now our task to briefly out- 
line is one whose connection with the Pacific 
coast dates liack to the earliest times, so he 
has naturally witnessed a great deal of the pio- 
neer de\-elopment of this section, and has had 
an opportunity such as falls to the lot of com- 
paratively few men of assisting in the work of 
expelling the darkness of barbarism and usher- 
ing in the light of civilization. 

Born in Salem, Massachusetts, on March 
II, 1834, he was early taken thence to New 
York, from which city, at the age of eighteen 
years he came to California, making the trip 
Ijy the Cape Horn route, on the cli])per ship 
Siren, Capt. Ed. Silsbee. After a short stay 
in the Golden state and a residence of a year 
in the Sandwich islands, he returned to his 
native city to visit his parents. In 1855, he 
crossed the Columbia river bar as mate of the 
brig Kingsbury, soon after going to Corval- 
lis, Oregon, where he remained until the out- 
break of the Rogue river war, during the con- 
tinuance of which he served as an employe 
of the quartermaster's department, of the Ore- 
gon Volunteers. During a portion of the year 
1856 he served as purser of the steamer Belle, 
and he subsequently spent some time with 
Captain Ingalls in the quartermaster's depart- 
ment of the regular army at Vancouver bar- 
racks. In 1857 he was sent by the govern- 
ment to the Cascades as transfer agent, and 
in i860 he came to Walla Walla to become 
wagon master at the fort. 

After his discharge from connection with 
the U^nited States army he spent some years in 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



281 



the mining districts of Idaho and Montana, 
but between the years 1868 and 1874, he served 
at different times as purser on the steamers 
Active, California, Idaho, George S. Wright 
and Gussie Telfair, plying between Oregon and 
British Columbia points and Sitka, Alaska. 
For the ensuing seven years he was agent at 
Victoria, British Columbia, for the Oregon 
Steamship Company, and between the years 
1881 and 1891 he held the position of ma- 
terial and transfer agent for the N. P. R. R. 
Company. 

In the latter year he came to Walla Walla, 
wliere his home had been since i860, though 
his work was such as to keep him absent most 
of the time. His purpose was to establish an 
express office in this city for the Northern Pa- 
cific Express Company, which he did and he 
has remained in charge of the same ever since. 

Mr. Goodhue has been twice married. On 
April 29, i860, he became the husband of Miss 
Anna Turnbull, a niece of Captain James 
Turnbull, the pioneer captain of the Columbia 
river. This lady died in Walla Walla in July, 
1868, leaving three children, Frank, chief 
clerk in the quartermaster's department at 
Seattle, Washington : James : and Edith, widow 
of Lieutenant William Moffat, Second United 
States Infantry. His second marriage was 
solemnized in Victoria. British Columbia, when 
Miss Fannie Cooper became his wife. To this 
union three children were Ixirn. namely : 
Charlotte H., Ada Putnam and Claude How- 
ard, the last-named of whom is ticket agent 
for the X. P. R. R. Company in Walla ^^'alla. 

Mr. Goodhue has the jiniud distinction of 
being a lineal descendant of the noted Israel 
Putnam, he being a grandson of Colonel Pur- 
ley Putnam f)f the war of 1S12, who was a 
near relative of the man whose name is sd well 
known in history. 



ALVAH BROWN.— The esteemed and 
courteous gentleman whose name forms the 
caption of this article has been a resident of 
the \\^alla Walla valley for nearly twenty years, 
and during that time has held various positions 
both public and private which have brought 
him into personal relations with a great num- 
ber of men, and it is safe to say that he is one 
of the most widely acquainted of all the citi- 
zens of the county. His unfailing faithfulness 
in the discharge of every duty entrusted to him 
has won the respect of those who know of his 
record, while his uniform kindliness and af-- 
fability have made him a universal favorite. 

Mr. Brown, popularly known as "Jerry" 
Brown, is a native of Silverton, Clarion coun- 
ty, Oregon, born October 20, 1855. His 
mental discipline was acquired in the public 
schools established in the vicinity of his home, 
while his physical man was developed to the 
fullest by vigorous early and late exercise on 
his father's farm. When his majority was 
attained, he received an appointment, signed 
by President U. S. Grant, to the office of post- 
master at Silverton, and the duties of that in- 
cumbency were discharged by him faithfully 
and well for a period of four years. W'hen 
his successor, Mr. T. R. Hibbard, took charge, 
our subject was appointed assistant postmater, 
continuing in the same position for three years 
thereafter. 

In May, 1883, he retired from the postal 
service and came to Walla Walla, where he en- 
tered the employ of J. Jones, whose place of 
business was on the corner of Third and Main 
streets, serving him in the capacity of a clerk 
for about eighteen months. Fie then took 
service as secretary of the Walla A\'alla Water 
Company, from which position he retired two 
years later to accept an api)ointment on the 
city police force under Chief T. J. Robinson. 



282 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



During tlie five years of his service as a police 
ofificer he made a record of which he has just 
cause to feel proud. When Chief Robinson 
died he resigned his appointment and became 
clerk and bookkeeper in the employ of H. Mc- 
Arthur, a cigar and tobacco merchant, and 
with him has remained uninterruptedly since, 
his personal magnetism and affability of man- 
ner making him an especially successful man in 
that business. 

Mr. Brown's marriage was solemnized in 
Silverton. Oregon, on March 14, 1878. when 
Miss Viola Davis, a schoolmate and childhood 
friend of his, became his wife. They have 
two children living, Gertrude and Gladys, both 
in the public school, also had one, Stanley D., 
who was accidentally killed while hunting, his 
demise occurring August i, 1899. Mr. 
Brown's father, James M., came to Oregon in 
1846. and died at Woodburn in that state, 
January 8, 1886. His mother passed away in 
Silverton, on September 20, 1876. Mrs. 
Brown's father, Dr. P. A. Davis, arrived in 
Oregon in 1852, and still resides in Silverton. 
Her mother also died in Silverton, in April, - 
1866. 



EX-GOVERXOR MILES C. MOORE, 
president of the Baker-Boyer National bank, 
the oldest institution of its kind in the state 
of Washington, is a native of Muskingum 
county, Ohio, born April 17, 1845. When 
twelve years old he accompanied tlie rest of the 
family to Point Bluff, Wisconsin, and he was 
educated in the Methodist Episcopal Institute, 
there located. In 1863 he came to Walla 
AValla, A\'ashington. He was first employed 
as a clerk in the store of Kyger and Rees. 
Thereafter, at the age of nineteen, he embarked 



in business on his own account in Blackfoot 
City, a mining town in Alontana. He returned 
to Walla Walla in the fall of 1866 and became 
postmaster and a partner in the book store of 
H. E. Johnson & Company. In 1869 he 
opened a general store in company with Paine 
Bros., the firm name being Paine Bros. & 
IMoore. This establishment was later convert- 
ed into an agricultural implement house, the 
first in eastern Washington. 

Mr. iloore subsequently became associat- 
ed with his father-in-law, Dr. D. S. Baker, in 
the grain business and in various other enter- 
prises, and this connection was maintained 
until 1888, when Doctor Baker died. 'Sir. 
Moore then became one of the administrators 
of the estate. For many years he was an active 
participant and a leading spirit in the politics 
of Washington, but of late years he has given 
less attention to public and more to his own 
private affairs. He was elected mayor of the 
city in 1877, and in 1889 he was appointed 
to fill the gubernatorial chair, during that 
period of our history when the territory was 
donning the dignity of statehood. Comment- 
ing upon his administration the Tacoma 
Ledger said, "Of all the able governors the 
territory has had, beginning with Isaac I. 
Stevens, who was a distinguished soldier, en- 
gineer and political leader, no one has brought 
to the oflice more intelligence, dignity and 
grace than Governor Aliles C. Moore." 

In 1889, when the Baker-Boyer National 
bank was organized. Governor Moore became 
a stockholder and vice-president, and on the 
death of Mr. Boyer, in 1898, he was promoted 
to the presidency. He is also a stockhoK'.er in 
the First Xational bank of Walla Walla, and 
senior member of the firm known as M. C. 
Moore & Sons, loans and investments. He is, 
moreover, e.xtensivelv interested in real estate 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



283 



in various parts of \\'ashington, Oregon and 
Idaho. 

\h. Moore was married in Walla Walla, 
in ^March, 1873, to Mary E. Baker, a native 
of East Portland, Oregon, and t<) them have 
been liorn three sons, Frank A. and Walter 
B., assistants in the bank, and Robert L., a 
student at Whitman College. The family live 
in a beautiful home on the southeast edge of 
the city, surrounded by beautiful grounds, and 
adorned with everything which good taste 
could suggest. 

Governor Moore's father, Amos L., was 
a native of Delaware, of English extraction, 
and his mother, ucc Monroe, was a scion of 
the famous \^irginia family to which President 
Monroe belonged. 



WASHINGTON SMITH GILLIAM, a 
retired farmer and well known citizen of Walla 
Walla, residing in a pleasant home at 315 
Newell street, is a native of Clay county, Mis- 
souri, where he was born on the 24th of Feb- 
ruary, 1829. He continued to reside in his na- 
tive state until he attained the age of fifteen 
years. His parents were General Cornelius and 
Mary (Crawford) Gilliam, his father having 
attained distinction in connection with the 
militia and through effective service in the In- 
dian wars. The subject of this sketch ac- 
companied his parents on their journey over- 
land from Missouri to Oregon, the transporta- 
tion facilities being those afforded by an ox- 
team and the trip being protractetl over a 
period of six months. They settled where 
Dalles, Polk county, Oregon, is now located, 
the family being the first to settle south of 
Rickreall creek. Our subject altenrled school 
for a brief interval prior to the removal of the 



family from Missouri and completed his edu- 
cational discipline in the schools of Oregon, 
which were of somewhat primitive character, 
owing to the exigencies of place and period. 

Upon beginning a life of personal responsi- 
bility Mr. Gilliam directed his attention to the 
basic industry of agriculture in varied phases, 
continuing to retain his abode in Oregon un- 
til 1859, when he cast in his lot with the pio- 
neer settlers of Walla Walla county, where 
he has ever since resided, being now recognized 
as one of the venerable and honored pioneers 
of this section. L^pon coming to this county 
he secured land by both pre-emption and pur- 
chase, and much of this land has since contin- 
ued in his possession. — a period of more than 
forty years. Careful and discriminating in 
his methods, success attended his efforts and 
he became one of the extensive agriculturists 
of the county. In this connection it is grati- 
fying to recall the fact that he has never 
swerved in his allegiance to husbandry, having 
been a farmer all his life and being at the 
present time identified with this line of in- 
dustry through the leasing of his land to good 
tenants. 

Mr. Gilliam has been a man of marked pub- 
lic spirit and has never failed to discharge the 
duties devolving upon him as a citizen, hav- 
ing been called upon to serve in positions of 
distinctive trust and responsibility. He was 
sheriff of Polk county, Oregon, in 185 1-2, was 
a member of its territorial legislature in 1853-4; 
held a similar incumbency in the Washington 
legislature in 1861, while in 1863 he served with 
marked efificiency as sheriff' of \\'alla Walla 
county. Mr. Gilliam is a man of marked in- 
tellectual and executive force and has left an 
unmistakable impress upon the annals of this 
count}-, where he has lived and labored to such 
goodly ends. 



284 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



On the 23d of Fel)ruarv. 1S54. in Polk 
county, Oregon, was solemnized the marriage 
of Mr. Gilliam and Miss Esther A. Taylor, 
\vho came to the Pacific coast region in 1852. 
To them have been born six children, of whom 
we make brief record, as follows : Ellen, widow 
of Jesse X. Day, is a resident of \\'alla Walla ; 
Lane C, a mining expert, resides in the city 
of Spokane; Mitchell is a resident of Seattle; 
J. Benjamin is one of the successful farmers 
of \\'alla Walla county; IMary remains at the 
parental home ; and i\Iarcus H. is a miner in 
British Columbia. Of the children three were 
born in Oregon and three in Washington. 

In conclusion we are i)leased to record an 
interesting historical fact recalled by Mr. 
Gilliam, to the effect that the first settlers in 
this section came hither to secure pasture for 
their cattle, little imagining the great agri- 
cultural wealth and productiveness which were 
eventually to give the locality its greatest 
precedence. 



WILLIAM O'DOXXELL, retired hard- 
ware merchant of Walla Walla, a pioneer of 
1862, is a native of Ireland, born January 16. 
1S36. When a boy of eight he came with his 
father to America, landing in Xcw Orleans. 
He thence proceeded to St. Louis. Missouri, 
where in 1845 ^^^ ^^'^^ l^ft ^n orphan b\- the 
death of his father, his mother having passed 
away in 1837. For the ensuing seven years he 
remained in St. Louis, solving the difficult 
problem of existence as best he could. In 1852, 
however, he went to Jacksonville, Illinois, 
where he learned the trade of a tinner, and 
where he lived until 1857. He then removed 
to Atchison, Kansas, and thence, two years 
later, to Georgetown, Missouri, which was his 
place of abode until 1861. 



In that >'ear he set out with an o.\-leam 
for Salt Lake City, but upon arrival he and 
his party purchased a new outfit and proceeded 
to Carson City, Xevada. Here Mr. O'Donnell 
followed his trade for a short time, but soon 
came on to Placerville, California. He did not 
remain, however, but soon went to San Fran- 
cisco, then by steamer to Portland, Oregon, 
where he and three other persons built a small 
boat. In this they proceeded to Lewiston, 
Idaho. 

After a residence of only fourteen days, 
Mr. O'Donnell returned to Portland, and en- 
tered the employ of ^Messrs. A. M. and L. M. 
Starr, working for them as a tinner until Au- 
gust, 1863, when he came to W'alla Walla. 
In this city he has resided continuously since, 
except for a brief period during which he was 
on a mining expedition in British Columbia. 
He was employed by ^Ir. Phillips almost con- 
stantly until 1872, in which year he engaged 
in business for himself, eventually becoming 
the owner of the old stand where his former 
employer started. He disposed of his hard- 
ware establishment October i, 1900, and re- 
tired from active business. 

Mr. O'Domiell has been known as one of 
the most successful business men of Walla 
Walla, and he also ranks among its most high- 
l_v esteemed citizens. He has long taken a 
leading part in the municipal affairs of his 
home city, having served as county treasurer 
as early as 1880, and having since been a mem- 
ber of the city council. Fraternally, he affilr 
iates with the F. & A. ^^1., the B. P. O. E., and 
the Catholic Knights. 

On May 7, 1869, INIr. O'Donnell married 
Miss Margaret Flaherty, a native of Ireland, 
who died in Walla Walla September 25, 1889. 
They became parents of one daughter, Grace, 
born February 4, 1871, now deceased. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



285 



JOHN KYDD. — Perhaps no other coun- 
try on the face of the earth of equal size and 
population produces so many men who dis- 
tinguish themselves for thrift, progressiveness 
and sterling character as does old Scotland. 
Her sons have won renown the world over for 
all those traits which go to make up true 
manliness and to win esteem and respect. Not 
the least worthy of those who claim for their 
fatherland fair Caledonia is the man whose 
name forms the caption of this brief article. 
He was born in Kincardine county, Parish of 
Fordoun, on February 9, i860, and there he 
resided until twelve years of age, attending 
the public schools. His father having died, he 
then removed with the rest of the family to 
Arbroath, where he received a high school 
training. Upon retiring from school he fol- 
lowed farming with his brother until twenty- 
two years old, but the desire to try his fortunes 
in America had taken hold of him and in 1882 
he set sail for the new world, coming alone. 
He took up a temporary residence in the Red 
river valley in ilinnesota, but not being satis- 
fied with the rigorous climate, he soon came on 
to Walla Walla. 

He purchased a quarter section of land on 
the Touchet river, from Dr. Dorsey Baker, 
also homesteaded another quarter adjoining, 
and he has been increasing his realty hold- 
ings from time to time since until he is now 
the owner of a magnificent farm of nine thou- 
sand acres. He raises about one hundred and 
sixty acres of wheat annually and about sixty 
acres of alfalfa, retaining the remainder for 
pasture. He keeps four thousand head of 
sheep, forty head- of cattle and horses enough 
for his own work. His annual wool clip aver- 
ages about fifty thousand pounds. 

Mr. Kydd is essentially a self-made man, 
having arrived in America without much caj)- 



ital, and having acquired by dint of energy and 
good management, a rank among the moderate- 
ly wealthy. The same qualities of mind which 
have enabled him to accomplish his industrial 
success have secured for him the esteem and 
respect of the community in which he lives, 
while his many good and neighborly charac- 
teristics have won all hearts. Fraternally, he 
i.- identified with Washington Lodge, No. 19, 
I. O. O. F., of Walla Walla, also with Walla 
Walla Tribe, No. 23, Improved Order of Red 
Men. 

On July 12, 1900, Mr. Kydd left his place 
in charge of a foreman and visited the Paris 
Exposition, visiting also his old home in Scot- 
land where his mother and one of his brothers 
reside. He found his mother in excellent 
health though past seventy-five years of age. 
His other brother, William, is a farmer near 
the town of Harris Smith, Orange Free State, 
Africa. From him he recently received a let- 
ter saying that the Boers had just recently 
made a raid on his farm and taken all his crops 
and stock, depriving him of the accumulations 
resulting from the assiduous efforts of twenty- 
one years and compelling a new start in life. 



HENRY SANDERSON, deceased, a pio- 
neer of i860, was a native of Paris, France, 
where his early years were passed, and where 
he was married. He came to America about 
1845, ^'^d located in San Francisco. He was 
engaged in the hotel business there and in 
Napa City for a number of years, but at length 
removed to Corvallis, Oregon, whence, in i860, 
he came to Walla Walla. He opened here 
what was known as the W'alla Walla hotel, 
the first in the city. In 1870, he went to 
Alaska, opened a bakery and restaurant there. 



286 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



and operated the business for many years 
afterwards. He returned to Walla Walla in 
1897, but died the following year. He was an 
industrious, energetic man, successful in busi- 
ness, and highly respected by all his neighbors. 
His wife died in 1887. Emil Sanderson, their 
son, was born in Napa City, California, 
July 4, 1857. He was reared in Walla Walla, 
having been brought here by his parents when 
he was about three years old. He has lived 
in the city almost continuously since, engaged 
in the restaurant business and in various other 
enterprises. He has always taken a lively 
interest in the city's welfare, manifesting his 
desire to promote the public good in many 
ways, but especially by his activity in the fire 
department, in which he was for two years 
first assistant chief. In politics he is a Demo- 
crat. He was elected a constable in 1896, and 
the duties of that office are still being dis- 
charged by him. In Denver, Colorado, he 
married I\Iiss Mabel O. Crawford, a native of 
California, and they ha\'e become parents of 
one daughter, Grace. Mr. Sanderson is quite 
prominent in fraternal circles, being identified 
wMth the Odd Fellows, Elks, Eagles and Red 
Men. 



CHARLES B. STEWART, M. D.— The 
\ocation of the physician and surgeon is one 
of the most exacting and responsible in the 
ei";tire category of human undertakings, de- 
manding of its votaries a most discriminating 
preliminary discipline and an alert human 
sympathy and unflinching nerve, since it 
touches most closely the ultimate issues of life 
and death. Walla \\'alla has been signally 
favored in the character and ability of her med- 
ical practitioners, and among those who have 
■won precedence through sterling professional 



and personal worth must certainly be men- 
tioned the subject of this brief review, whose 
offices are located in rooms i and 2, post- 
office block. 

Dr. Stewart is a native of the Pacific north- 
west, having been born in Jackson county, Ore- 
gon, in 1858, a representative of one of the 
early pioneer families of this now opulent sec- 
tion of the Union. He has passed practically 
his entire life in \\'alla \\'alla, having been 
brought hither when but four years of age, 
and here he received his preliminary educa- 
tional discipline, attending the public schools 
and later Whitman College. Having deter- 
mined to prepare himself for the profession 
of medicine, he matriculated in the time-hon- 
ored Jefferson Medical College, at Philadel- 
phia, Pennsylvania, where he completed the 
required curriculum of studies, with the in- 
cidental clinical and surgical w'ork; but so 
earnest was his desire to thoroughly reinforce 
himself for his life w-ork that immediately after 
his graduation he took two post-graduate 
courses, fortifying himself by the most care- 
ful study and investigation. 

Thus well equipped for his work, the Doc- 
tor returned to Walla Walla, where he forth- 
with opened an office, in 1888, and prepared 
to enter upon the active practice of his pro- 
fession. No dreary novitiate awaited him, and 
he soon gained a position as one of the suc- 
cessful and able physicians of the city, devot- 
nig himelf to a general practice of medicine 
and surgery and securing a representative sup- 
IDort. The Doctor is a member of the alumni 
association of Jefferson Medical College and 
also of the Walla Walla Valley ^^ledical So- 
ciety. He keeps well abreast of the advances 
made in the science to which he devotes him- 
self, being a constant and discriminating reader 
of the best medical periodicals and standard 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



287 



publications. He served for a number of 
years as coroner. Fraternally be is identified 
\vitli tbe Independent Order of Odd Fellows. 
In tbe year 1870 was celebrated tbe mar- 
riage of Dr. Stewart to Miss Etta B. Wol- 
fard, tbe union being solemnized in Wbitman 
county, of wbicb Mrs. Stewart's parents are 
pioneers, as are tbey also of Spokane county. 
The Doctor and bis wife are tbe parents of 
two cbildren, — Charles P. and Maggie M. 



JUDGE E. B. WHITMAN, deceased, a 
pioneer of 1858. was a native of Boston, Massa- 
chusetts, born January 20, 1824. In that his- 
toric city, bis early youth was passed, but on 
attaining his majority his adventurous spirit 
led him to cross tbe plains to Stockton, Cali- 
fornia, where for some years afterwards be 
was engaged in tbe stock business. Failing 
health, however, at length compelled him to 
seek a more salubrious climate, and he moved 
to Walla Walla, arriving July 10, 1858. Short- 
ly afterwards be engaged in the general mer- 
chandise business with the Baldwin Bros. 

Subsequently Judge Wbitman spent eight 
years in tbe employ of tbe Wells Fargo E.x- 
press Company, as agent, then resigned to en- 
gage in the insurance business, a line to which 
his best efforts were given until August 6, 
1899, when he died. 

During the many years of bis residence in 
Walla Walla, Judge Whitman took a very 
active part in promoting the devclnpnient and 
prosperity of the city, presiding in its council 
chambers, and ever exerting a very sensible 
influence in its material and municipal ad- 
vancement. His name w'as on tbe petition 
presented to the first board of county com- 
missioners, praying that tbe town of Walla 



W^alla be laid out and established, and to him 
belongs tbe distinction of having been the first 
mayor of the city. He was again elected to 
that responsible post in 1866, and for the third 
time in 1871. In 1872, tbe electors of Walla 
\\'alla again testified their faith in him by plac- 
ing him in tbe mayor's seat, and the following 
year be was for a fifth time their choice. 
Judge Whitman also served as sheriff of tbe 
county for a time in 1863, and from 1889 to 
1 89 1 he was county clerk. For many years he 
held the of^ce of justice of tbe peace and for 
fourteen he was a director in school district 
No. I. He was always prominent in tbe pro- 
motion and encouragement of railroad build- 
ing. Indeed no enterprise for the benefit of 
the city was without bis generous support, and 
few men have a better right to the grateful 
remembrance of posterity. 

For more than fifty years Judge \\'hitman 
was a prominent Odd Fellow, and be also be- 
longed to tbe Blue Lodge, the Chapter and 
Commandery in the F. & A. M. Religiously, 
he was an Episcopalian. He was married in 
Brooklyn, New York, to Maria I. Greenwood, 
a native of Portland, Maine, who died in 
\\'alla Walla, December 25, 1898, leaving two 
sons, Edward S. and Stephen G. 

Edward S., a pioneer of 1862, was born 
in Ware, Massachusetts, Septemljer 10, 1846, 
and tliere he passed bis youth, and received his 
education. At tbe age of sixteen, he came 
with bis mother and brother to Walla Walla, 
and for ten years thereafter he was engaged in 
packing to the various mining camps. During 
tbe Nez Perce war be had charge of a pack- 
train for General Howard, but as soon as the 
trouble was over he engaged in stock raising 
in Garfield county, Washington. He still 
owns a stock farm there, but owing to ill health 
was compelled to give up that occupation in 



288 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



1897, and since tliat date lie has been employed 
as secretary for Dr. Shaw of Walla Walla. 
He is one of the most highly esteemed and re- 
spected citizens of the city. On April 14, 
1887, J\Ir. Whitman was united in marriage 
to Miss Delphine A. Walker, a native of Mon- 
treal, and they have one son, Mason G., born 
October 11, 1889. 



DR. DORSEY S. BAKER was born in 
Wabash county, Illinois, on the i8th of Oc- 
tober, 1823. He came of Puritan stock, num- 
bering among his ancestors General Ethan 
Allen, of Ticonderoga fame. While he was a 
boy in his "teens his father was engaged in mill- 
ing and merchandising, and in the manage- 
ment of these enterprises Dorsey S. assisted, 
thus acquiring business experience and train- 
ing that was useful to him in after life. In 
1845 he graduated from the Jefferson Medical 
College, of Philadelphia. 

After practicing his profession for a short 
time at Des Moines, Iowa, he determined to 
try his fortune in the west, and accordingly, in 
184S, set out for Oregon, where he arrived in 
the fall of the same year, without friends or 
fortune. He began the practice of his pro- 
fession immediately upon arriving at Port- 
land, then a very small town. Gold was dis- 
covered in California the following year, and 
the Doctor joined the rush for the famous El- 
dorado. He remained in California until the 
spring of 1850, then returned to Portland and 
entered into partnership with L. B. Hastings 
in the general merchandise business. He again 
went to the mines the following spring, his 
objective point being Yreka, then a new mining 
camp. Returning to Oregon in May of the 



same year, l,e located in the Umpcjua valley, 
where, for several years, he was variously en- 
gaged in stock-raising, milling and the general 
nierciiandise luisiness. The first flour mill built 
in southern Oregon was erected by him at the 
old town of Oakland, Douglas county. In 
1858 we find him again in Portland, engaged 
in the hardware business. In 1869 he estab- 
lished a store in \\'alla Walla and placed Will- 
iam Stephens in charge of the business, but 
the following year he assumed personal man- 
agement of it. In 1862 he entered into part- 
nership with his brother-in-law, John F. Boyer, 
establishing the firm of Baker & Boyer, so well 
and so favoral)lv known in eastern W'ashington. 
In that year he also became associated with 
Captain Ankeny. H. W. Corbett and Captain 
Baughman for the purpose of organizing a 
steamboat company to run a line of boats on 
tile Columbia and Snake rivers. They built 
the steamer "Spray," for the upper river, and 
the "E, D. Baker" for the lower Columbia 
trade. These lines were sold the following 
year to the O. S. N. Company. 

Some nine years later we find the Doctor 
engaged in the construction of a line of rail- 
way from Walla Walla to the Columbia. This 
he built almost entirely with his own personal 
resources. Despite many prophecies of friend 
and foe alike that this undertaking would end 
in disaster, the genius of Dr. Baker was equal 
to the task of carrying it to a successful termi- 
nation. It not only greatly enhau'.ed the private 
fortune of its promoter, but brought prosperity 
and wealth to the entire Walla ^\'alIa valley 
and adjacent country. It was a source of no 
little gratification to the Doctor that during 
his ownership and management the \\'alla 
Walla & Columbia River Railroad was never 
encumbered with a mortgage and never had a 
floating debt. This road was finally sold, in 




/ra^^i 



W//^ 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



289 



187S, to the Villard syndicate, and became a 
part of the O. R. & N. system. 

During the remaining years of his life Dr. 
Baker devoted his energies to banking and 
to the inauguration of various enterprises in 
and about \\'alla WaHa. The Baker-Boyer 
bank, organized in 1S69, is the oldest institu- 
tion of its kind in Washington. The Doctor 
died at his home in Walla Walla July 5, 1888, 
and was universally lamented in the commu- 
nity in which he had lived so many years, and 
which had come to regard him as its ablest and 
most enterprising citizen. A fine monument of 
granite, emblematic of his rugged strength of 
character, marks the spot in Walla Walla cem- 
etery where his remains repose, but, as is the 
case with most of earth's great and good men, 
his most lasting monument is in the grateful 
memory of his appreciative fellow citizens. His 
life is an illustration of what can be accom- 
plished by energy, courage and perseverance, 
coupled with integrity and force of character. 

Dr. Baker was married in Portland, Ore- 
gon, in June, 1850, to Miss Caroline Tibbetts, 
a native of Indiana, In' whom he has four liv- 
ing children: Edwin Franklin, residing in 
Ventura county, California; also Mary E., wife 
of Ex-Governor !Miles C. Moore, Henry C. 
and W'. W.. all residents of Walla Walla, 
W'ashington. 

He was married, a second time, to Mary 
Legier, of Tuscola, Illinois, but his second 
wife died shortly after her wedding. 

In August, 1867, he married Elizabeth H. 
McCullough, who lias four living children, 
Ida M., wiie of Prof. L. F. Anderson, of Whit- 
man College; Anna A., now Mrs. T. C. Elliott, 
of Walla Walla; Rosalia I., wife of Rev. Ed- 
ward L. Smith, of Seattle, Washington; and 
Ada L. 

19 



WM. GLASFORD, justice of the peace, 
Walla Walla, was born near Ottawa, Canada, 
January 14, 1834. When seventeen he went 
io Gouverneur, New York, where he served 
an apprenticeship to the trade of carpenter and 
joiner. Returning to Canada he followed his 
trade until 1862, then started on a prospecting 
trip to the Eraser river. However, he only 
got as far as Walla Walla, wdiere he started the 
first planing mill east of the Cascade mountains. 
He afterwards erected a mill north of Spokane, 
and had two others in the mountains, all of 
wdiich .were required to supply his extensive 
trade. He constructed many large buildings 
in Walla Walla and elsewhere, employing about 
one hundred and_fifty men continuously during 
the season of 1883. In 1889 he took the con- 
tract for cutting all the timber for the bridges 
on the S. F. & N. R. R., and for erecting the 
bridges between Spokane and Colville. In 1890 
he sold out, and turned bis attention to other 
matters. 

Air. Glasford has long taken a very active 
interest in the development of Walla W^alla 
and in its local government. He was a member 
of the city council from 1881 to 1885. In pol- 
itics he is an ardent Republican, and during all 
the years of his residence here he has been 
prominent in the campaigns of that party. In 
1898 he was elected justice of the peace, and 
appointed to fill an unexpired term as city police 
justice. He has held both offices ever since, 
having been twice elected to the latter. 

Fraternally Mr. Glasford is identified with 
the Masons. He was married in Canada, Oc- 
tober 17, 1857, to Agnes Montgomery, and 
they have had five children ; William H., clerk- 
in Walla Walla ; Edward P., a stock dealer, as 
is also \\'alter li.; Bertha J.; and Mamie, de- 
ceased. 



290 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



LEOX F. C. JAUSSAUD.— We are now 
permitted to touch briefly upon the Hfe record 
of one wlio lias accompHshed a worthy success 
through his own efforts and who has the dis- 
tinction of being a native son of la belle France, 
having been born in the canton of Orchiere, 
Sen Jen, Sen Nicola, on the 19th of May, i860. 
Our subject remained in France until he had 
attained the age of twenty years, receiving 
his educational discipline in the public schools. 
Having determined to seek his fortunes in the 
New \\'orld, he bade adieu to home and friends 
and set sail for America, arriving in Los 
Angeles, California, on the 29th of November, 
1880. There he was employed on a sheep ranch 
for a period of seven years, becoming thomugh- 
ly familiar with all details of the industry, to 
which he has since devoted his attention with 
so marked success. 

ilr. Jaussaud came to Walla Walla in 
March, 1887, remaining only a few days, after 
which he went to Pendleton, Oregon, where he 
was again employed on a sheep ranch for one 
and one-half years. He then drove sheep into 
Idaho, where he remained six months, when he 
again came to \Valla Walla, whence he dro\'e 
another band of sheep to Idaho in 1889. On 
his return he purchased a restaurant of Lucien 
Genevay, who subsequently repurchased an in- 
terest in the enterprise, becoming associated 
with Mr. Jaussaud in the conducting of the 
same for a period of about a year, when our 
subject sold out and again became identified 
with the sheep business, this time in the state 
of \\'ashington. He followed w-ork in this 
line for about twenty-one months, after which 
he purchased six hundred and fifty head of 
sheep for himself and entered vigorously into 
the wool-growing business upon his own re- 
sponsibility, his previous experience having 
strongly fortified him for the work in hand. 



To this important branch of industry he has 
since given his attention, and it is gratifying 
to note that success has attended his efforts in 
a pronounced degree. He now has over three 
thousand head of sheep, and his wool crop 
reaches an average annual aggregate of about 
thirty-five thousand pounds. 

Mr. Jaussaud owns about four hundred 
acres of excellent land near Washtucna, Frank- 
hn county, and in addition to this he leases six- 
teen sections of grazing land from the Northern 
Pacific Railroad Company. He is the owner of 
an attractive home in the city of Walla Walla, 
the same being located at the southwest cor- 
ner of Tenth and Alder streets, while he also 
owns two lots and twenty feet additional front- 
age adjoining. Religiously the family are all 
members of the Roman Catholic church, while 
fraternally Mr. Jaussaud is identified with the 
Young Men's Institute; Tribe No. 23, I. O. 
R. M. ; and Aerie No. 26, Order of Eagles. Our 
subject is a man of pleasing address, charitable 
in thought and action, and he enjoys an unmis- 
takable popularity in the city of his home. 

The marriage of Mr. Jaussaud to Mrs. 
Demerise Berrard was solemnized in Walla 
Walla, on the 28th of February, 1896. and they 
are the parents of three children, — Leon J., 
Victor P. and Louis F. ]\Irs. Jaussaud had 
two children by her former marriage, — Fran- 
cois and Leon, the latter being deceased. 



FRANK S. DEMENT.— He whose name 
iiiitiates this paragraph stands at the head of 
one of the most important industrial enter- 
prises in the city of Walla Walla, being presi- 
dent of the Dement Brothers Company, pro- 
prietors of the Eureka Flouring Mills. Mr. 
Dement is one of the sons of the Pacific north- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



291 



west, having been born in Oregon City, Ore- 
gon, on November 3, 1853, the son of Will- 
iam C. Dement, who crossed the plains in 1843, 
becoming one of the earliest pioneers of Ore- 
gon and continuing to reside in Oregon City 
until his death, which occurred in 1864. 

The immediate subject of this review re- 
ceived his educational training in the public 
schools of his native city, where he remamed 
up to the time of his removal to Walla Walla. 
There he also pul)lished the Oregon City En- 
terprise, a weekly journal of distinct merit and 
vitality, disposing of the property at the time 
he determined to identify himself with the busi- 
ness interests of \Valla Walla, whither he came 
in 1879. Here he was engaged in the grocery 
trade for nearly two years, after which he as- 
sociated himself with his brother, Fred G. De- 
nient, and W. D. Chtuxh, in the purchase of the 
finely equipped milling property of the firm 
of Welch & Schwabacher, in the conduct of 
which enterprise they have since continued un- 
der the title of Dement Brothers Company. The 
mills are supplied with full roller process equip- 
ment of the most improved order and the out- 
put capacity is two hundred and thirty-five bar- 
rels per day. The trade of the company tran- 
scends local limitations, shipments being made 
not only in contiguous states but also to the 
oriental trade. The enterprise is conducted 
with much discrimination and due conservatism 
and is established on the firmest commercial 
basis. 

The public-spirited attitude of Mr. Dement 
is shown when we revert to the fact that prior 
to his removal to Walla Walla he was the 
county treasurer of Clackamas county, Oregon, 
an office which he resigned at the time of his 
removal. He is at the present time chairman 
of the board of school directors of Walla 
AValla, having been a member of said board for 



the past eight years and having taken a deep 
interest in the promotion of educational fa- 
cilities. 

The year 1877 marks the date of the mar- 
riage of j\Ir. Dement to Miss Frances Miller, 
the ceremony being solemnized in Oregon City, 
where Mrs. Dement was a member of one of 
the honored pioneer families. Our subject and 
his wife are the parents of three children, — 
Charles F., Olive M. and Frank B. 



STEPHEN G. WHITMAN, a native of 
Massachusetts, was born March 15, 1849. 
When thirteen years old he came with his 
mother and brother to Walla Walla, where his 
father had resided since 1858. The next year 
he returned to Boston, Massachusetts, to en- 
joy the superior educational advantages of that 
city, and upon graduating entered a wholesale 
woolen and dry goods store, where he remained 
until 1868, in which year he went to California. 

In 1870 he returned to Walla Walla, re- 
maining until 1880, when his business called 
him to Spokane, in which city he was for some 
time in the employ of the Wells Fargo Ex- 
press Company. Subsequently, however, he re- 
turned to Walla Walla. He is at present en- 
gaged in the real estate business in Room 3, 
Paine Block. 

Like his father, Mr. Whitman has borne an 
important part in the development of the In- 
land Empire, and has long occupied a place of 
leadership among his fellow men. To him be- 
longs the honor of having been elected the first 
clerk and police judge of Spokane. He is 
prominently identified with the F. & A. 'SI. 
and tlie B. P. O. E. In Walla Walla, on April 
14, 1879, was solemnized his marriage to iliss 
Jennie J. Andrews, daughter of one of the pio- 



292 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



neer captains of the Sacramento river. To 
their union was born one daughter, now de- 
ceased. 



LUCIEN GEXEVAY.— The successful 
business man and sheep raiser whose name be- 
gins this article was born in Switzerland Feb- 
ruary 15. 1859. He passed the initial twenty- 
four years of his life there, receiving a good 
public-school education, and afterward engag- 
ing in farming. Thinking that the new world 
presented better opportunities for an ambitious 
young man. he. in 1883. emigrated to Amer- 
ica, locating first in Cresco, Iowa, where he 
tried his hand at farming. In 1886 he removed 
to St. Louis to accept a position as a sawyer 
in the St. Louis Car shops, but after remain- 
insf in that work for nine months he returned 
to Iowa, whence he shortly came to Dayton, 
Washington, arriving in March, 1887. He 
tried market gardening in that vicinity for a 
year, afterward coming to Walla Walla, where 
he opened a restaurant. This he operated con- 
tinuously for a period of two years, but in 1890 
the building burned down and he purchased 
an interest in the business of Frederick Lehn 
on Third street. The partnership then formed 
only lasted eight months, our subject then sell- 
ing his interest to another man. 

Investing a portion of the proceeds in the 
business established by Charles Rose, also on 
jMain street, he remained in that for two years, 
after which he again sold out. In February, 
1893, 'i^ formed a partnership with ]\Ir. La 
Fortune for the purpose of establishing a place 
of business at 222 West Main street, and this 
has been the scene of his activities and endeav- 
ors continuously since. 

In June, 1898, Mr. Genevay bought the 
Avool growing business of Joseph Summerville, 



near Dayton, which comprised the right of the 
latter to some ten sections of land in Garfield 
county held under lease issued by the Northern 
Pacific Company, and twenty-seven hundred 
head oi sheep. Mr. Genevay now owns be- 
tween four and five thousand head of sheep, 
from which he sells an annual wool crop of 
about thirty-one thousand pounds. 

JMr. Genevay conducts all his business af- 
fairs on correct principles, bestowing on them 
the requisite amount of attention and exercis- 
ing a sufficient degree of good judgment to in- 
sure the greatest success attainable under the 
circumstances, so that his material prosperity 
since he came to America has naturally been 
great. Landing in this country without means 
or influential friends, he has steadily pro- 
gressed, working his own way to fortune, until 
he is now among the moderately wealthy men 
of the county. 

In his fraternal affiliations he is identified 
with the Walla Walla !\Iaennerchor and with 
Tribe Xo. 23, Improved Order of Red Men. 
In March, 1880, in Bassins, canton Vaud, 
Switzerland, the marriage of our subject was 
solemnized, ^liss ilary Kach, a native of 
Berne, then becoming his wife. They have 
one son, Robert, born in their home in Switzer- 
land April 21, 1881. now in his father's em- 
ploy. !Mrs. Genevay is a member of the Ger- 
man ^Methodist church of this city. The fam- 
ilv reside in a comfortable and elegantly fur- 
nished home at 828 West Main street. 



JOHN W. }.IcGHEE. Jr.— A son of 
Walla \\'alla county, and one whose career has 
been such as to reflect credit upon the valley 
in which he was born, the subject of this brief 
biographical review is especially deserving of 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



293 



representation in a work of this character. His 
jsarents, John W. and Rachel (Wiiiteaker) Mc- 
Ghee, were old pioneers of the valley, residing 
on the Coppei three miles south of Waitsburg, 
and on the parental farm our subject was born, 
the date being February 11, 1867. He ac- 
quired his education in the local public schools, 
in Waitsburg Academy, in Whitman College 
and in the Empire Business College of Walla 
A\'alla. 

Upon retiring from the last named institu- 
tion he entered the office of the Fidelity Ab- 
stract Company, by which he was engaged for 
a short time, after which he entered the em- 
ploy of the Washington Loan and Trust Com- 
pany, of whose bookkeeping he had charge for 
about three years thereafter. He resigned in 
1892 to accept a position as deputy county treas- 
urer, under H. H. Hungate. 

In the Democratic convention of 1894 
Mr. McGhee was one of the candidates for 
nomination for the office of county treas- 
urer, and he proved to be the choice of his 
party, but was defeated in the Republican land- 
slide which followed, his opponent, however, 
receiving a majority of only ninety-seven votes. 
The ensuing year he was appointed receiver 
of the Walla Walla Savings bank, and he con- 
tinued to discharge his duties as such until the 
affairs of the liank were settled. In the cam- 
paign of 1898 he was again the nominee of 
his party for the county treasurership, and this 
time his candidacy was successful. The Re- 
publicans were almost uni\-ersally x'ictorious in 
that election, Init the fact that Mr. McGhee ran 
two hundred votes ahead of his ticket speaks 
volumes for the esteem and confidence in which 
he is held among the people of his native val- 
ley. He has given his entire energies to the 
faithful discharge of the duties of his office ever 
since the county's bcjoks were first placed in 



his hands, proving true to this, as he had to 
every other trust reposed in him by the peo- 
ple. Mr. McGhee was also treasurer of the city 
of Walla Walla from 1896 to 1898. 

Our subject is a prominent Odd Fellow, 
his membership being in Washington Lodge, 
No. 19, of which he is recording secretary, and 
in. Walla Walla Encampment, No. 3. He also 
belongs to the Royal Arcanum. 



CHARLES RUSSELL, deceased, a pio- 
neer of September, 1856, was born in New 
York September 13, 1813. Upon attaining 
his fifteenth year he set out for San Fran- 
cisco, by water, and for several years thereafter 
he followed the life of a sailor. He was on the 
vessel Yale during the entire Mexican, war, 
rendering excellent service to his country. As 
soon as hostilities ceased he returned to San 
Francisco, where for a number of years he took 
contracts for street-grading from the United 
States government. He served throughout the 
entire Modoc Indian war and was master of 
transportation at the time of the celebrated Cus- 
ter massacre, being on that fatal day only a 
mile and a half distant from the scene of bat- 
tle. In 1856 he came to Walla \\'alla as gov- 
ernment wagon master, and in that city he re- 
sided until his death, August 7, 1891. Few 
men have spent more time in the service of 
their country than has Mr. Russell, he having 
been in the employ of the LTnited States con- 
tinuously from his fifteenth year, and few in- 
deed are they whose record is so worthy of the 
highest commendation. 

Air. Russell was married in Walla Walla, 
October 22, i860, to Miss Anna Sheets, a 
daughter of John and Marguerite Sheets, and 
a native of Ohio. They liecame the parents 



294 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



of five children : Charles H., William L., 
Harry. Lavenia. widow of Mr. William True, 
and Nellie. ]\Irs. Russell's father, who crossed 
the plains in 1859, died in Walla Walla in 
187S, and her mother passed away in 1880. 



DANIEL T. KYGER.— One of the most 
highly respected of Walla Walla's citizens, an 
esteemed pioneer of this valley and a leading 
business man, the subject of this brief review 
is deserving of a place of eminence among the 
men who have been instrumental in building up 
and shaping the destiny of the county. 

He was born on the 17th of November, 
1852, in the town of Kokomo, Indiana, and 
there he received his education. In 1864 he 
accompanied his parents to Nemaha county, 
Kansas, and thence to Missouri, where, in 1868, 
he joined a surveying party, with which he re- 
mained nearly a year. The next spring he 
came west, intending to try his fortunes in 
Arizona, but, on account of the Indian hostil- 
ities in that region, he changed his plan, com- 
ing north to the Walla Walla valley, with 
which he became identified July 3, 1869. He 
was a member of the first party sent out by 
Dr. Baker to raft logs down the Yakima river 
for the doctor's railway from Walla Walla to 
Wallula, and in 1873 he became a clerk in the 
employ of Paine Brothers & Moore, with 
whom he remained until they retired from busi- 
ness. In 1876 he opened a tobacco store on 
bis own account, conducting the same for two 
years thereafter, but, at the end of that time, 
entering the employ of Johnson, Rees & 
\Vinans. 

Mr. Kyger was industrious and frugal, so 
that by 1889 he had accumulated enough to 
enable him to purchase the business of his em- 



ployers, which he did. Shortly afterward he 
disposed of a half interest in the establishment 
to ^Ir. Frank Foster, and the present firm of 
Kyger & Foster was formed. Their business 
has always been conducted on correct jjrin- 
ciples, with the natural result that it has come 
to be one of the best paying in the city, the 
patronage of the establishment coming from 
a large section of the surrounding county, and 
goods from their shelves finding their way 
into the remotest parts of the valley. They 
keep always on hand a large stock of dry goods, 
clothing, ladies' furnishing goods, etc., and are 
ever read to cater to the wants of their cus- 
tomers. 

Mr. Kyger has long been a prominent and 
leading man in politics, supiwrting the issues 
of the Republican party, and he is also an en- 
thusiastic leader in the Masonic fraternity, be- 
ing a past eminent commander of Washington 
Commandery, No. i. Knights Templar. 

In August, 1875, the marriage of our sub- 
ject and Miss Addie Sickler was solemnized, 
and their union has been blest by the advent 
of six children, four daughters and two sons. 

The sons, Miles E. and Daniel T., Jr., 
earned the right to rank among the world's 
heroes by sacrificing their noble young lives on 
the altar of their country, they having passed 
away while fighting the battles of the Republic 
in the Philippines. While they did not die on 
the field of battle, they are deserving of the 
same credit as though they had done so, for in 
enlisting for service in a pest-laden climate they 
encountered not only the danger from the bul- 
lets of the enemy liut also that from the in- 
sidious encroachments of disease, and it is no 
disparagement of their right to the title of 
hero that they fell victims to the latter rather 
than to the former foe. 

Miles E. Kyger was born in Walla Walla 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



295 



on May 21, 1876, and in the common and 
high schools of tliis city he received his gen- 
eral education. He graduated in the high 
school class of 1895, then engaged in the mer- 
cantile business in his father's store, rendering 
himself almost indispensible by his faithfulness 
and devotion to the duties in hand. \Vhen the 
call to arms was sounded, however, he thought 
the claims of patriotism paramount to those of 
business, so generously offered his services to 
his country. They were accepted and he was 
sent to Manila, where, on the 3d of February, 
1899, he succumbed to that dread disease, 
typhoid. 

Five days, afterward his younger brother, 
Daniel T., who had also felt it incumbent upon 
him to enlist, suffered a similar fate, and so 
the bereaved parents, and in fact the entire city 
of Walla \\'alla, were called to mourn a double 
loss. The younger brother had completed his 
public-school education at the time war was 
declared, and was diligently pursuing a course 
in the business college with the intention of 
thoroughly preparing himself for commercial 
success. Both the boys were energetic, prom- 
ising young men, intensely popular with their 
associates, and respected by all who admire 
thrift, industry and sobriety, coupled with fine 
intellectual powers. 

When they passed away the entire state 
realized its loss, and many were the expres- 
sions of condolence received by the bereaved 
family, even the state senate taking cognizance 
of the matter and adopting the following reso- 
lution : "Li grateful remembrance of our fallen 
heroes. Sergeant Miles E. Kyger and Daniel 
T. Kyger, Jr., comrades of Company I, First 
Washington Volunteers, who died in our coun- 
try's service at Manila, to the bereaved par- 
ents, who sacrificed their only sons on the altar 



of our country, we, the members of the senate 
of the state of Washington, do tender our 
deepest sympathy in your hour of affliction." 



GEORGE W. W^HITEHOUSE, a mem- 
ber of the well known firm of Whitehouse, 
Crimmins & Company, dealers in and manu- 
facturers of lumber, sash, doors, moldings, 
etc., in the city of Walla Walla, is one of the 
representative business men of the city and no 
compendium of this nature would be consistent 
with its defined pro\'ince were there failure to 
accord him consideration within its pages. 

Mr. Whitehouse is a native of the state of 
Illinois, having been born in Decatur, in the 
year 1856. He continued his residence in that 
commonwealth until he had reached the age of 
twenty years, having received excellent educa- 
tional advantages in the public schools. At 
the age noted he journeyed westward to Cali- 
fornia, where he remained one year, at the ex- 
piration of which interval he identified himself 
with the business interests of Walla Walla, of 
which city he has been a resident practically 
ever since. 

Upon his arrival here, in 1877, he engaged 
in Ijusiness as a contractor and builder, hav- 
ing had careful training and ample experience 
in this line, and to this branch of industrial 
activity he devoted his attention, with marked 
success, until the year 1881, when he accepted 
the position as foreman of the building de- 
partment of the Oregon Railway & Naviga- 
tion Company, later identifying himself also 
with the Northern Pacific Railroad, and serv- 
ing eventually as superintendent of construc- 
tinn of buildings for both roads during a jieriod 
of two and one-half years. At the c.xpira- 



296 



HISTORY OF WALL 



tion of this time he again became a resident 
of Walla Walla, where he engaged in contract- 
ing and building until 1888, when he became 
identified with his present important enterprise, 
which stands as one of the most potent factors 
in conserving the industrial pre-eminence of 
our city. His business associates are Dennis 
J. Crimmins and Charles Cooper, the mills and 
yards of the concern being eligibly located at 
the corner of Xorth Third and Cherry streets, 
where employment is given to a corps of about 
twenty competent workmen. 

In Union county, Oregon, in 1884, was 
solemnized the marriage of Mr. Whitehouse 
and Miss Emma Paul, and they are the parents 
of one son, George Paul, who was born in 
1887. Mr. Whitehouse has but recently com- 
pleted a residence, at the corner of Birch and 
First streets, which is one of the most attractive 
in the city, and this is the family home. The 
dwelling is of modern and effective architect- 
ural design and is equipped throughout with 
the best of improvements. Thus is added one 
more to the many beautiful homes for which 
Walla Walla is so justly celebrated throughout 
the Pacific northwest. 



JOHN E. BINGHAM, M. D.. physician 
and surgeon, a pioneer of 1874, is a native of 
Pennsylvania, born in 1846. When nineteen 
he came out to California, via the isthmus, and 
for about two years thereafter he was in the 
service of the United States government. Re- 
turning then to Pennsylvania, he enrolled as a 
student in the Jefferson Medical College, from 
which institution he received his degree in 
1873. Immediately after graduation he came 
to Port Townsend, Washington, to assume 
charge of the Marine hospital, located there. 



A WALLA COUNTY. 

\W'-- 

and he retained that position until 1874. when 
he resigned to come to Walla Walla. Here he 
engaged in the genera! practice of medicine, 
but he was soon called into the service of the 
government again, being appointed acting as- 
sistant surgeon of the United States army and 
assigned to duty at Fort Walla ^^'alla. That 
position he now holds. 

Dr. Bingham served as surgeon of the state 
penitentiary for seven years. He has also 
served as health officer of the city, and in dif- 
ferent public capacities, and at present is local 
surgeon for the N. P. R. R. and for the O. R. 
& N. The Doctor served during the Nez Perce 
and Bannock Indian wars. Dr.. Bingham has 
been in active jjractice here for twenty-five 
years. He has the confidence and esteem of 
the general public, and enjoys a large and de- 
sirable patronage. Fraternally he is identified 
with the F. & A. ^I. and the B. P. O. E. 

The Doctor was married in Portland, Ore- 
gon, in 1896, to Miss Emma Lewis, a native 
of that city. They have one son. Mason L. 



JOHN F. BOYER.— In the death of Mr. 
Boyer, on the 8th of February, 1897, there 
passed away a man of exalted character and one 
whose history was conspicuously and indis- 
solubly identified with that of the city of Walla 
Walla, where for a long term of years he had 
lived and labored to goodly ends, ever main- 
taining a high sense of his stewardship and 
ordering his life upon a lofty plane. No citi- 
zen of the county was more highly honored and 
none contributed in greater measure to the ma- 
terial progress and substantial upbuilding of 
this section of the state. His was a noble and 
useful life, and no compilation purporting to 
touch the history of \\'alla Walla county would 




JOHN F. BOYER 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



297 



be complete were tlicre failure to revert to the 
salient points in tiie career of this honored 
pioneer. 

Mr. Boyer was a native of Kentucky, hav- 
insr been born in Castle Rock county on the 
28th of JMarch, 1824. W'hile he was still an 
infant liis parents removed to a point on the 
Ohio river, whence, some twelve years later, 
they proceeded to Jefferson county, Indiana, 
which thereafter continued to be their home. 
The subject of this review received his edu- 
cational discipline in the common schools, and 
he began his individual business career at the 
age of twenty years, when he severed home 
ties and proceeded t<.) Van Buren, Arkansas, 
where he secured a clerkship in a mercantile 
establishment, this being in the year 1844. Mr. 
Boyer was distinctly the architect of his own 
fortunes, and the marked success he attained 
in temporal affairs was won by fair and hon- 
orable methods, his entire business career be- 
ing without blot or stain, even as was his per- 
sonal character. In 1849 Mr- Boyer joined the 
tlirong of gold-seekers who looked to the new 
Eldorado of California as a source of wealth 
and advancement. Having successfully made 
the long and perilous journey across the plains 
and over the mountain heights, he eventually 
engaged in mining in the Golden state, later 
abandoning the search for gold and engaging 
in the mercantile business at Sonora, California. 
In 1852 he left his business in charge of his 
partner and returned to Arkansas. In the 
meanwhile he learned that the greater ])ortion 
of his California property had been destroyed 
by fire and accordingly he decided t" remain 
in the east. 

On the 29th of August, 1853, at Mount 
Carmcl, Illinois, Air. Boyer was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Sarah E. Baker, a sister of Dr. 



D. S. Baker, with whom he was subsequently 
so long and intimately associated in business 
in Walla Walla. In 1859 Mr. Boyer returned, 
with his family, to the Pacific coast, making 
the journey by the isthmus route. He again 
established himself in the mercantile business 
at Sonora, where he remained until 1862, when 
he entered into a copartnership with Dr. D. S. 
Baker in the mercantile branch of his busi- 
ness in Walla Walla. Concerning this enter- 
prise we quote from a sketch of the life of Mr. 
Boyer published in Gilbert's history of the 
county: "At the time Mr. Boyer first took 
charge of the store, and for years after, the 
miners were in the habit of depositing their 
gold dust with the firm for safe keeping. They 
would come with little and big sacks of it with 
the owner's name attached, leave their moun- 
tain accumulations for days, and sometimes 
months, without a scratch of a pen or witness 
in the world, except Mr. Boyer, to prove that 
they had ever left anything on deposit. No 
receipts were given or asked for, and although 
this practice was continued for years, and the 
deposits often reached from thirty to forty 
thousand dollars at a time, no trouble, misun- 
derstandings or loss ever occurred." 

In 1870 the firm decided to close out the 
mercantile luisiness and establish a bank. The 
Baker & Boyer bank became one of the most 
solid financial institutions of this section of the 
L'nion and so continued until it was merged 
into the Baker-Boyer National bank, whose 
prestige is to-day unexcelled. Upon the or- 
ganization of the national bank Mr. Boyer be- 
came its ]jresident, retaining this incumbency 
until his death and guiding its course with that 
rare executi\'e ability and far-sighted policy 
which had ciinser\-ed the upbuilding antl relia- 
bility of the original institution. Of the bank- 



298 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



ir.g houses with which he was so conspicuously 
identified si>ecific mention is made on other 
pages of this work. 

From a memorial brochure published at the 
time of his death we make several extracts 
touching the character and career of our hon- 
ored subject : "He served Walla Walla county 
with great acceptability for six terms (twelve 
years) as treasurer. Always concerned with 
rratters pertaining to the public good, Mr. 
Eoyer was of necessity .interested in educa- 
tion. He early became a devoted friend of 
Whitman College, and gave generously of his 
means and time to its' supijort. He was for 
thirty years a member of the board of trustees 
of the seminary and college. During that time 
he was treasurer of the institution, which po- 
sition he held until a few months before his 
death, when he was chosen president of the 
board of trustees. For years he was a vigorous 
supporter and mainstay of St. Paul's school. 
Mr. Boj'cr was for many years a leading sup- 
porter, vestryman and warden of the Episcopal 
church. It was a pleasing sight during the 
Isst few years to see him, with his snowy hair, 
in the church choir, seemingly as full of life 
and vigor as the younger members. In fact, 
until the last year, his vitality was proverbial, 
and lie bid fair to outlive many younger men 
than he. One of the most warm-hearted, 
charitable and sympathetic of men, Mr. Boyer 
■was ever ready to assist the needy and to ex- 
tend a hand to the unfortunate." The death 
of Mr. Boyer was mourned by the entire com- 
munity in which he had lived for so many years 
and in which he had ever been a power for 
good. The funeral was attended by "all sorts 
and conditions of men," each of whom felt tliat 
he had suffered almost a personal bereavement. 
The services were conducted by the rector of 
St. Paul's church, of which the deceased had 



been so loyal a supporter, and a special me- 
morial service was held at the church on the 
Sunday following his death. In his address 
the rector spoke feelingly of the honored dead, 
of whom he said : "Mr. Boyer was a man of 
remarkable modesty and would not have de- 
sired a eulogy. He needs none other than 
the memory of his noble and generous life." 
Resolutions of respect and regret were passed 
by the vestry of St. Paul's church, by the ex- 
ecutive committee of the board of trustees of 
Whitman College, by the directors of the First 
National bank and by Blue ^fountain Lodge 
of Free and Accepted Masons, of which he 
was a charter member and a zealous adherent. 
His was the faith that makes faithful, and he 
passed to his reward in the fullness of years 
and well earned honors. As long as there re- 
mains memory to those who knew the man 
or of him, so long will he be recalled as a noble 
example of true manhood and as one whose 
entire life was consecrated to lofty ends. 

Mr. Boyer was survived by his wife and 
seven children. The surviving children are as 
follows : Charles S., a resident of New York 
city; Franklin D., of Dawson City; Arthur A., 
of East Orange, New Jersey; Eugene H., of 
Walla Walla; John E.. of Seattle; Mrs. Annie 
I. Norton, of Bennington. Vermont ; and IMiss 
Imogen, of Walla Walla. 



HENRY .\. CROWELL.— To the man 

whose life history it is now our task to briefly 
outline belongs a share of the honor we in- 
stinctively bestow upon men who rise superior 
to an inauspicious early environment and 
achieve success in the face of great disadvant- 
ages. 

Our subject was born March 27, 1837, at 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



299 



Blooming Grove, Franklin connty, Indiana. 
His father died while he was very young and 
naturally he early had to assume such respon- 
sibilities and duties as he was able, in this man- 
ner acquiring in boyhood habits of industry and 
self-reliance of inestimable value. When four 
years of age he was taken by his mother to 
Knox county, Illinois, where he remained until 
1S65. After acquiring a log-cabin education 
he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, 
continuing in the same as long as he remained 
in the state. When about twenty-eight years 
of age he removed to Boone county, Iowa, and 
opened a grocery store, conducting that busi- 
ness in conjunction with a farming industry 
near by. Subsequently closing the grocery 
establishment he went into the grist mill busi- 
ness, and being in connection with his duties 
about the mill, much of his time in the engine 
room, he in due time became a skilled engin- 
eer. Eventually the engine was placed in his 
charge. 

In the performance of his duties in this 
connection he met with a very serious acci- 
dent, falling from a tank which he was en- 
gaged in cleaning, striking on the fly wheel of 
the engine and breaking his leg and several 
ribs. He was unconscious for several hours 
and confined to his bed for about sixty days, 
but ultimately recovered almost entirely and 
resumed the discharge of his duties as engineer. 

In 1874 Air. Crowell came to Walla Walla, 
via San Francisco, Portland and the old Baker 
road. For a short time after his arrival he 
worked for wages on a farm, but his abilities 
as an engineer were soon discovered and a po- 
sition was given him as engineer in the old 
Dovel Sash and Door, Molding and Furniture 
factory. After continuing in this for some 
time his services were called into requisition 
as a molding-maker fur the same firm, and he 



continued in their service until they went out 
of business. 

Mr. Crowell then worked for varying 
periods of time for other mills, also ran en- 
gines for threshermen during the harvest sea- 
sons until 1896, when he entered the service 
of Whitehouse & Crimmins, of whose engine 
he had charge for about a year, afterwards 
w^ithdrawing to accept an appointment as pound 
master, tendered him by the city council, and 
this office he still retains, discharging his duties 
with faithfulness and fairness. 

In fraternal affiliations our subject is identi- 
fied with the time-honored Masonic fraternity, 
his immediate connection being with Blue 
Mountain Lodge, No. 13. While he was a 
resident of Knox county, Illinois, Mr. Crowell's 
marriage to Miss Jane Stevens was duly sol- 
emnized, but they were not permitted to live 
long together, she passing away on July 4, 
1865. On August 24, 1867, our subject was 
again married, in Knox county. Illinois, the 
lady being Miss Mary A. Thurmen, a native 
of Kentucky. They have two living children: 
Ella, now Mrs. O. T. Cornwell, of Walla 
Walla; and Sibley A., a bookkeeper for Sam- 
uel Loney, of this city. They also became the 
parents of two other children now deceased. 
Mr. Crowell is the owner of a very pleasant 
and comfortable home on the corner of Rose 
and Tukanon streets. 



CLARK N. McLEAN, auditor of Walla 
Walla county, was born in College Springs, 
Iowa, November 11, 1862. He was reared on 
a farm in the vicinity of his native town and 
received an unusually good education, gradu- 
ating from the scientific course of Amity Col- 
lege. After receiving his degree he engaged 



300 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



ill the mercantile business with his brother, 
James L., at College Springs, carrying a course 
in the Gem City Business College, at Quincy, 
Illinois, at the same time. 

In 1887 he retired from his business to be- 
come a bookkeeper in Kilpatrick Koch's whole- 
sale dry goods company in Omaha, which po- 
sition he retained until, in 1889, he came to 
Walla Walla. Shortly after his arrival here 
he opened an abstract office in company with 
Mr. S. E. Dean, and this establishment has 
been maintained ever since, being now known 
as the Dean-McLean Abstract Company. 

He has long been one of the representa- 
tive men of this city, and has always taken a 
prominent part in local politics. From 1895 to 
1897 he was deputy county auditor, and from 
that date until 1899 he served as city clerk. 
In the fall of 1898 he was elected on the Re- 
publican ticket to the office of county auditor, 
a position which he still retains, being re- 
elected in 1900. 

In fraternal affiliations Mr. McLean is 
identified with the F. & A. M. and the B. P. 
O. E. He was married in White Cloud, Kan- 
sas, June 8. 1887, to Miss Annie Pugsley, a 
native of that town and state. They have two 
children. Rachael and Gilbert. 



OSCAR CAIN, prosecuting attorney of 
Walla Walla county, is a native of Ringgold 
county, Iowa, born ?klay 25. 1868. When he 
was nine years old the family moved to lola, 
Kansas, and here he grew to manhood and re- 
ceived his education. Upon attaining the a.p-° 
of twenty-two he entered the law office of 
Henry .\. Ewing, under whose direction he 
studied law for two years. He successfully 
passed the examination for admission to the 



bar of that state, then came to Oregon, where 
for a few months at first he engaged in school 
teaching. In 1893 he removed to Dayton, 
Washington, and opened an office for the prac- 
tice of his profession, the firm being Hamm & 
Cain. The next year, however, he came to 
Walla Walla and in 1895 began the practice 
of law here. The firm to which he belongs 
at present is known as Pedigo & Cain. He 
was elected in 1898 to the office of prosecut- 
ing attorney of the county, and he has been 
discharging the duties of that office with faith- 
fulness, courage and ability ever since. For 
many years he has been an active worker and 
a leading spirit in all local affairs and conven- 
tions; and he holds rank among the representa- 
tive men of the county. He affiliates with the 
Knights of Pythias and the Eagles. 



JOHN H. DANIELS. WaWa Walla, is a 
nati\-e of Lancaster. Pennsylvania, born July 
3. 1836. W'hen about eleven years of age he 
accompanied his parents around Cape Horn to 
California. In 1859 he came to \Valla Walla 
and engaged in mining in various places trib- 
utary to that city and in Idaho. He was one 
of the earliest immigrants into the Florence 
region, having walked there from Oro Fino at 
a very early date, braving the severities of a 
\-ery rigorous winter. He followed the various 
mining excitements until about 1870. then 
opened a soda business at Walla Walla, the 
first of its kind in the country. In 1889 he 
sold out and made another trip into the Flor- 
ence and Warrens mining regions, returning 
in 1890. He then opened his present business. 

Mr. Daniels is a typical pioneer, possessed 
of the courage and resourcefulness which char- 
acterizes that class of men. He is also very pro- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



301 



gressive and public spirited, always taking an 
active part in the promotion of every under- 
taking for the pubUc benefit, and donating lib- 
erally of his means to all public institutions. 
In social affiliations he is a member of the A. 
O. U. W. He was married in Walla Walla, 
in 1876, to Mrs. M. Seitel, ncc Gholson, a na- 
tive of Iowa. Mrs. Daniels was born in 1845, 
and came to this county in i860, crossing the 
plains with her father, Mr. Granville Gholson, 
who " settled at Frenchtown, below Walla 
AValla, but some years later moved to a large 
farm at Hudson. After remaining there 
several years Mr. Gholson moved to Ritz Creek, 
Washington, where he died in April, 1S70. 
Mrs. Daniels is quite an old resident of Walla 
Walla, having lived there constantly since 1861. 
Like Mr. Daniels, she has a large circle of 
friends. 



Le F. a. SHAW.— It is beyond perad- 
venture that practically all of the older com- 
monwealths of the Union have representation 
ill the composite makeup of the population of 
the great state of Washington, and among those 
whom the historical old Bay state has granted 
to the city of Walla Walla is the gentleman 
whose name ii.troduces this paragraph and who 
is one of our representative citizens, being a 
pioneer of 1877. Mr. Shaw was born at Fall 
River, Massachusetts, on the 7th of February, 
1842, coming of staunch old New England 
stock. At the age of fourteen he accompanied 
his parents on their removal to St. Paul, Min- 
nesota, where they remained four years, at the 
expiration of which i>eriod they returned to 
Fall River. Our subject received his educa- 
tional discipline in the ])u1)lic schools, and ujion 
assuming the personal responsi1:)ilities of life 
determined to sesk his fortunes in the west. 



Accordingly in the winter of 1864-5 he set sail 
for California, making the voyage by the 
isthmus route and arriving in San Francisco 
in the month of March, 1865. He continued 
his residence in the California metropolis for 
a period of four years, devoting his attention 
primarily to work at his trade, that of sign 
painter. In the fall of 1869 he removed to 
Portland, Oregon, where he was for a time 
engaged in the insurance business and where he 
also held a clerkship in the United States cus- 
tom house for a term of five years. 

The summer of 1877 marks the date of ^Ir. 
Shaw's arri\-al in the city of Walla Walla, 
which has ever since been his home and the 
scene of his successful endeavors. He had 
resigned his position in Portland for the pur- 
pose of accepting the office of deputy collector 
of internal revenue for the eastern district of 
Washington, which was as yet a territory. 
This office he held for the term of four years, 
with headquarters in Walla Walla, and in the 
meantime he had determined to make the city 
his permanent home. He had established him- 
self in the fire-insurance business here, and in 
this line of enterprise he has conducted a very 
successful agency, representing a number of 
the most reliable companies and controlling a 
representative patronage as an underwriter. 

Mr. Shaw has maintained a lively interest 
in affairs of a public and political nature, hav- 
ing ever given a stanch and unwavering al- 
legiance to the principles and policies of the 
Republican party, in the local ranks of which 
he has been an active worker. In 1881 he 
was elected city clerk, in which capacity he 
served consecutively for six years. He was the 
incumbent as coroner of the county for a term 
of two years, early in the '80s, and for the 
term of 1895-6 held the responsible and exact- 
ing office of countv clerk and clerk of the su- 



302 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



perior court. Li 1899 ^^^ ^^''^s elected to the 
office of city treasurer, of which office he is 
the incumbent at the time of this writing, hav- 
iiig entered upon his second term. 

In fraternal associations Mr. Shaw holds 
n;arked prestige, having manifested a lively- 
interest in the work of the various social or- 
ganizations with which he is identified. He 
has been a member of the Masonic order for 
three decades, having advanced in the same 
to the tiiirty-second degree of the Scottish 
rite. His connection with the Independent Or- 
der of Odd Fellows dates from 1866, and in 
this fraternity he has attained positions of ut- 
most distinction. He was grand secretary of 
the grand lodge of the state for the long term 
of tweh-e years, — from 1884 until 1896. He 
was also for a long period the grand scribe 
of the grand encampment of the order, and has 
on several .occasions been a representative to 
the sovereign grand lodge. Other fraternal 
organizations with which JNIr. Shaw is identi- 
fied are the Improved Order of Red Men, of 
which he became a member in 1867; the 
Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Pro- 
tective Order of Elks, the Ancient Order of 
United Workmen and the Fraternal Order of 
Eagles. He is a past officer in most of these 
organizations, being past great sachem of the 
Red ]\Ien, and representative to the great coun- 
cil of the United States. His genial personal- 
ity and unflagging interest has given him an 
unmistakable popularity in each of these fra- 
ternities, and lie is held in the highest esteem 
in both business and social circles in the city. 

Turning, in conclusion, to the domestic 
chapter in the life of Mr. Shaw, we record 
that in 1870, at Portland, Oregon, he was 
united in marriage to Miss Florence A. Myers, 
who died in 1874. In 1878 he consummated 
a second marriage, being then united to Mrs. 



Emma E. Kellogg, who presides with gracious 
dignity over the attractive home, which is a 
center of refined hospitality. Mr. Shaw has 
two daughters, — Pearl F. and Ruby E. 



CHARLES OTTMAR ROEDEL. cab- 
inet-maker at 209 E. Alder street, a pioneer of 
1882, was born in Bavaria December 26, 1856. 
He resided in his fatherland continuously un- 
ti' about twenty-six years of age, receiving a 
common and high-school education, also learn- 
ing tlie trade of a cabinet-maker. In 1880 he 
emigrated to the United States. Locating at 
Louisville, Kentucky, he followed his trade 
there for a year, but he afterwards went to 
Denver, Colorado, and embarked in the fur- 
niture business. He sold out nine months later, 
and began an extensive tour in the search for 
a location, visiting Las Vegas, New Mexico, 
El Paso, Texas, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Tuc- 
son, Arizona, Fort Yuma and Los Angeles, 
California, and other points. In 1882 he ended 
his journeyings in Walla A\'alla, where for the 
ensuing three years he worked as a journey-> 
man. 

Mr. Roedel next tried the dairy business in 
Colville, W'ashington, for six months, then 
worked in a chair factory at Dayton for a year, 
then worked about seven months in San Fran- 
cisco, finally returning to \\'alla \\'alla, where 
his home has since been. He has followed 
cabinet-making constantly, and has the skill 
which we would naturally expect to find in one 
who has devoted the assiduous efforts of many 
years to the pursuit of one calling. He is 
doing business at present in company with Mr. 
Keller, he being tlie senior partner of the firm. 

Fraternally Mr. Roedel is identified with 
the Knights of Pythias, the Royal Highlanders 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



303 



and the German Maennerchor. In religious 
persuasion he is a Lutheran. He was married 
in Spokane, on November 4, 1890, to Miss 
Christina Leupold, a native of Bavaria, and 
they liave five children, Elfrieda, Roselinda, 
Ottmar, Carl and Louis. Mr. Roedel is the 
owner of some valuable city property, and of a 
fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres, 
which he took as a homestead. 



CHARLES E. BURROWS, who retains 
the responsible position of secretary and man- 
ag-er of the Walla Walla Gas & Electric Com- 
pany, whose offices are at 1 1 South Third 
street, is a citizen contributed to Walla Walla 
by the old Empire state, since the place of his 
nativity was the city of Troy, New York, 
where he was born on the 12th of January, 
1828. He continued to reside in the state of 
his birth until he had attained the age of twen- 
ty-four years, receiving his elementary educa- 
tion in the public schools, after which he pur- 
sued a thorough academic course, laying aside 
his studies at the age of seventeen. He was 
thereafter engaged for some time in the mer- 
cantile business, after which he was employed 
as deputy in the commissary department of the 
Panama Railroad. 

Mr. Burrows came to California in 1852 
and was employed as bookkeeper in a jobbing 
house at Sacramento until 1859, when he en- 
gaged in the gas business in Yreka, in the same 
state, continuing to reside there until 1864. 
Having become thoroughly familiar with the 
manufacturing of gas, he extended his scope 
of operations in this line, building gas works 
in Santa Cruz county, California, Seattle, 
Washington, and Salem, Oregon. 

Mr. Burrows' advent in Walla Walla dates 



back to 1885, when he came hither and effected 
the purchase of the gas works and also gave 
the city one of its most valuable public im- 
provements by building the electric works, sup- 
plying both light and power. To this feature 
of the city's equipment due reference will be 
made in connection with the specific descrip- 
tion of its status. 

In his religious adherency our subject is a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal church, 
and fraternally he is identified with the Inde- 
pendent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he 
became a member in 1851 while residing in 
New York. 

At Yreka, California, in the year 1861, 
Mr. Burrows was united in marriage to Miss 
Frances S. Wadsworth, who is a descendant 
of the historic Wadsworth of Charter Oak 
fame in New England. Our subject and his 
wife have four living children, namely: Mary 
E. ; Ella F. ; Charles E., who is a clerk in the 
gas office; and Albert J., who went to Manila 
as a member of Company I, and who is now 
holding a clerkship in the office of the gas 
company. 



CHRISTOPHER ENNIS, president of 
the Walla ^Va]la Dressed Meat Company, is a 
pioneer of 1870. Ireland is the land of his 
nativity, and he is about fifty-five years of age. 
When eighteen he emigrated to America, lo- 
cating in Pennsylvania, where he resided for 
about seven years. From that state lie came 
direct to Walla Walla. He secured employment 
from Dooley & Kirkman in their meat mar- 
ket business, and remained with them for the 
ensuing five years, finally quitting their service 
to enter a like business for himself. When the 
present firm was formed he became identified 
with it, and in 1895 he was elected to the presi- 



304 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



dency. Air. Eniiis is a man of unusual ex- 
ecutive and l)usiness ability, as is evinced by the 
success which has attendeil his efforts in the 
management of everything he has undertaken 
since coming to Walla Walla. He is now in 
very comfortable circumstances, being the 
owner of between four thousand and five thou- 
sand acres of land, as well as other valuable 
property. 

;Mr. Ennis' fraternal affiliations are with 
the A. O. U. \V. He was married in Walla 
Walla, in 1877, to Miss Annie McManamon, 
a native of Iowa, and their unimi has been 
blessed by the advent of ten children, namely : 
Frank, Mary, Thomas, Adella, INIatthew, 
Christopher, Katie. Alice and Margaret, living; 
and John, deceased. 



HON. THOMAS HURLEY BRENTS, 
one of the most distinguished lawyers and 
legislators of the Pacific northwest, is a native 
of Florence, Pike county, Illinois, born De- 
cember 24, 1840. He came of sturdy pioneer 
stock, his parents having been among the first 
settlers of Sangamon county, Illinois, and hav- 
ing borne an imjjortant part in its early develop- 
ment and history. In 1852 the family crossed 
the plains with ox-teams to Clackamas county, 
Oregon, where for the second time in life the)' 
engaged in the arduous occupation of sub- 
duing the soil of an untamed wilderness. In 
1865 Judge Brents' last surviving relative on 
the coast, his mother, died, and he was left to 
work out his destiny alone. He worked on a 
farm in summer, battling with the difficulties 
of a general educational course during the win- 
ter months and thus, in spite of many obstacles, 
laying the foundation for success and useful- 
ness in after life. He availed himself of the 



advantages afforded by the common schools of 
his neighborhood, and by the Baptist College, 
i\L Oregon City, Ijy Portland Academy and by 
McMinnville College. For a wliile during his 
student days at Oregon City he earned his board 
by packing flour for the noted Dr. John Mc- 
Laughlin, the celebrated Hudson's Bay Com- 
pany agent, who had a flour mill in that town. 

In i860 failing health compelled him to 
leave school, so he came to the Klickitat val- 
ley, Washington Territory. In the fall he 
went to the Yakima valley, where he herded 
cattle all winter, reading law by camp-fire at 
night. The next winter he came to Walla 
Walla valley with a herd of cattle, but in the 
spring of 1862 he made a trip through snow 
and over well nigh impassable roads to the 
Powder ri\er mines. Coming for supplies to 
the site of the present Pendleton, Oregon, in 
June, he there cast his first ballot, ^•oting for 
Addison C. Gibbs for governor, John R. Mc- 
Bride for congress and other Union-Republican 
candidates. Lie then went lo the John Day 
mines, and with Napoleon F. Nelson established 
a pony express between Canyon City and The 
Dalles, and he rode fearlessly over this route 
for alx)ut a year, despite the fact that it was 
beset liy hostile Indians and highwaymen. 

Judge Brents and his five partners luiilt the 
first log cal)in in Canyon City at this time. He 
was appointed justice of the peace and first 
postmaster of the town, and also lias the honor 
of having served as c;iptain of the loyalists 
during the Canyon City rebellion. At the or- 
ganization of Grant county he was apiwinted 
county clerk, and from that time forth he be- 
came an efificicnt factor in the political history 
of the west. He was a member of the Oregon 
State Repulilican convention of 1866, and in 
June of the same year was elected to the state 
legislature, where he supported the fourteenth 




THOMAS H. BRENTS. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



305 



ameiKlnient to tlie national constitution. In 
September, 1866, he was admitted to practice 
in the supreme court of Oregon, being a mem- 
ber of the same class with Binger Hermann, 
Cyrus A. Dolph and others who have since 
won renown. He began practice in San Fran- 
cisco, where, on August 10, 1868, he was mar- 
ried to Miss Isabel McCown, whose father 
and brothers are so well and favorably known 
in Oregon and Washington. 

In September, 1870, Judge Brents located 
in Walla Walla, and since that date the city 
and county have had the benefit of his presence 
and leadership. In 1872 he was one of the 
Republican candidates for the legislature, but, 
though running away ahead of his ticket, he 
was defeated, the county at that time being 
Democratic. In 1878 he was elected delegate 
to congress. He was renominated and re- 
elected in 1880, and again in 1882, each time 
by largely increased majorities. He served 
as a member of the committee on postoffices 
o.nd post roads, and on public lands, obtaining 
appropriations for improvement of the Cowlitz, 
Chehalis, Skagit, Nooksack, Stillaguamish, 
Snohomish and Snoqualmie rivers, for the es- 
tablishment of light houses at Sandy Point, 
Robinson Point, and at Gray's Harbor and on 
Destruction Island, and for the construction of 
the Port Townsend custom house, and he also 
secured the opening of over three million acres 
of Indian reservation lands for settlement, the 
making of Seattle and Tacoma sub-ports of 
entry, and the passage of much other valuable 
legislation. His abilities as a constructive 
statesman, and his commendable superior- 
ity to mere localism, were well appreciated 
by the voting public, and secured him sev- 
eral offers of renomination to the highest 
office in the gift of the territory, but for 

different reasons he has declined them all. 
20 



He was, however, a delegate to the Chica- 
go national convention in 1880, and took "a 
prominent part in the deliberations of that 
noted body, helping to secure the Chinese re- 
striction plank in the Republican platform of 
that year. He is a very convincing and influ- 
ential campaign speaker, and has taken the 
slump in every important campaign for many 
years with telling effect. 

In 1885 the law firm of Anders, Brents & 
Clark was formed. They practiced together 
until 1889, when Judge Anders was elected ta 
the supreme bench. The firm then became 
Brents & Clark, and so continued until, in 1896, 
the senior partner was elected to the superior 
judgeship of the county. He was re-elected in 
1900, receiving the largest majority ever given 
any candidate in the county. Judge Brents is 
displaying the same breadth of mind and 
power of discrimination on the bench which 
characterized him as a legislator, and is dis- 
charging his duties with great ability and fair- 
ness. He and Mrs. Brents became the parents- 
of nine children, namely: Herman M., How- 
ard M., Mildred, Norman M., Seldon M. and 
Thomas H., deceased, and Myrtle I., Mabelle 
and Helen D., livinsr. 



JOHN A. CAMERON, agent at Spofford 
for the Pacific Coast Elevator Company, is a 
native of Walla Walla county, born on the 
paternal homestead, three miles south of Walla 
Walla, January 31, 1864. He received such 
education as the public schools of that period 
afforded, then turned his attention to farmingf. 
In 1885 he bought a farm of three hundred 
and twenty acres in Umatilla county, Oregon, 
ip the vicinity of Pendleton, and for five years 
thereafter he was a tiller of the soil there. In 



3o6 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



1890, howexer, he sold out and returned to 
Walla Walla, where the following year he was 
given a position as guard in the state peniten- 
tiary. He soon was promoted to the post of 
deputy warden. 

In 1896 Mr. Cameron severed his connec- 
tion with the otificial management of that insti- 
tution, and in 1897, in company with Dr. C. 
B. Stewart, he went to Alaska to try his for- 
tunes in the Eldorado of the north. He en- 
gaged in freighting from Skagway and Lake 
Bennet, employing in his business eight horses 
and a dog team. He also gave a portion of his 
time and attention to prospecting in the Atlin 
mining region, where he still has a good claim. 
Returning to Walla Walla in Xovember, 1899, 
he, a few months later, accepted a position as 
agent for the Pacific Coast Elevator Company 
at Spofford, and he has been in their employ 
ever since. Mr. Cameron is one of the sub- 
stantial and thoroughly reliable men of the 
county, and enjoys the esteem and good will 
of his neighbors generally. He is an active 
worker in the ■ Republican party, and quite a 
leader in its campaigns. He was married in 
Walla Walla to Ella, a daughter of Daniel 
and Margaret Stewart, and like her husband 
a native of Walla Walla. 



THOMAS TAYLOR, electrical engineer, 
a pioneer of 1887, was born in England, on 
April 9. 1849. When ten years old, he em- 
barked as cabin boy in the merchant marine 
service, and he continued to follow the sea 
for sixteen years thereafter, advancing through 
the various grades until he became captain. He 
spent nine years in the Chinese and Japanese 
trade, then served as a joiner aboard the Great 



Eastern, the largest vessel ever built, in. the lay- 
ing of the French Atlantic cable. During his 
long experience as a sailor he visited France, 
Spain, Italy, Egypt, Turkey, Russia, Norway, 
Sweden, Germany, St. \'incent island, the Cape 
of Good Hope, Madagascar, Bombay. Aden, 
China, Japan, the Philippine islands, Sumatra, 
Borneo, Australia and numerous other places. 
He was wrecked three times: first ofif Dunge- 
ness, cau.sed by a collision with a steamer; 
next off the north coast of England, where he 
was rescued by a life saving crew, and lastly 
on a reef near Fern Island, where the father 
of the noted heroine, Grace Darling, served as 
lighthouse keeper. 

After leaving the sea Mr. Taylor sailed for 
two years as second mate on the Great Lakes, 
then went into contracting in the business of 
loading and unloading vessels at Racine, Wis- 
consin. Four years were spent thus, then for 
five years he was employed by the J. I. Case 
machine shops as superintendent. He was 
sent by them to take charge of their business 
in Spokane, but shortly afterward was moved 
to \\'alla Walla to assume the management of 
their branch house here. When, some 
eighteen months later, the Walla \\'alla Gas 
and Electric Company was formed he accepted 
a position with them, and except for about 
twelve months lie was in their service contin- 
uously for the ensuing twelve years. When he 
first entered their employ, they had a thirty 
horse-power engine, but before he left they 
used in their business, 11 65 horse-power, con- 
sisting of water, electricity and steam. All the 
machinery for this large plant he, as chief en- 
gineer, had to put in place and get ready for 
operation. For about eighteen month from 
October. 1898, he was engaged as general 
electrician in Walla Walla, but, in April, 1899, 
he assumed the managership of the Milton, 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



307 



Oregon, electric plant, which position he still 
holds. 

JMr. Taylor has been a very snccessful man 
both on the sea and as a contractor and en- 
gineer. He possesses remarkable mechanical 
ability and skill, so that his services are in de- 
mand wherever, in this section of the country, 
intricate electrical plants are to be established. 
In fraternal affiliations he is a Forrester and 
Red Man. He was married in Clinton, On- 
tario, in April, 1878, to Miss Enmia J. 
Rundle, a Cornish lady, who, when a girl, 
worked five years in a copper mine in England. 
They have six children, Richard T., Ethel, 
Edward }., Mattie E., Alice M. and Alfred O. 



DANIEL BURR, a farmer whose resi- 
dence in this county dates back to 1886, was 
born in Mercer, Maine, on May 6,. 1839. He 
acquired his education in the public schools and 
in a private high school, then went to work on 
his father's farm, remaining until he was nine- 
teen years of age. He then went to Worcester, 
Massachusetts, and worked on a farm' for a 
season, but later returned to New Sharon, 
Maine, bought a farm, and, with his mother, 
followed farming for about ten years. But in 
1868 he sold this place and moved onto an- 
other which he had purchased in the same lo- 
cality. 

After farming this for about seven years 
Mr. Burr removed to Franklin county, same 
state, where he continued in agricultural pur- 
suits until, in 1886, he came to this county. 
Purchasing a farm on Dry creek, seven miles 
northwest of Walla Walla, he resumed his 
former occujiation, adding to his real estate 
holdings a half-section of railroad land pur- 
chased later. In 1899 'ic sold all this property. 



however, and the following year purchased 
three hundred and twenty acres near Rulo 
Station, where he now resides, and on which 
he is raising- wheat. 

Mr. Burr has the distinction of having 
served as a soldier in the Civil war, having 
enlisted in Company K, Twenty-eighth IMaine 
Volunteer Infantry, in September, 1862. He 
participated in the Mississippi campaign, en- 
countering many dangers, especially in one ex- 
pedition after wounded men. His principal 
duty, however, was to serve as escort guard 
and provost guard, also to prevent the carry- 
ing of contraband articles by a bayou to the 
Confederates. His father and grandfather also 
served in the war of the Rebellion and his 
great-grandfather was a captain in the Re\o- 
lutionary war. Mr. Burr was married in New 
Sharon, Maine, on June 13, 1867, to Miss Han- 
nah G. Paine, one of his schoolmates. They 
have four children, Mary E., Sarah P., John 
F. and Nettie. 



ALLEN H. REYNOLDS.— As a promi- 
nent member of the bar of Walla Walla coun- 
ty, as a representative of one of the honored 
pioneer families of the city of \Valla Walla, 
of which he is a native son, it is peculiarly 
compatible that in this compilation be given 
a resume of the genealogical and personal his- 
tory of him whose name initiates this para- 
graph. 

Mr. Reynolds, who is the senior member 
of the firm of Reynolds & Gillis, attorneys 
at law, with offices in the Reynolds building. 
Walla Walla, was born in this city on the 
24th of January, 1869, the son of Almos 11. 
and Lettice J. Reynolds. Mr. Reynolds has 
passed his entire life in his native city, his pre- 
liminary educational discipline being received 



3o8 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



in a private scliool conducted by Rev. P. B. 
Chamberlain. He later matriculated in Whit- 
man College, in this city, completing a course 
of study and then entering the law department 
of Boston University, where he graduated as 
a member of the class of 1893. Returning to 
Walla Walla he entered upon the active prac- 
tice of his profession, being associated at this 
time with W. H. Kirkman. Later he was for 
a time in partnership with his brother, Harry 
A., but in the spring of 1900 he entered into 
a professional alliance with his present asso- 
ciate, Andrew J- Gillis. The firm are building 
up a large and representative practice. 

j\Ir. Reynolds has charge of the afifairs of 
the family estate, is treasurer of Whitman 
College and a member of its board of trustees. 
He is vice-president of the First National 
bank and is a member of the executive com- 
mittee of the Farmers' Savings bank, while 
he holds much valuable realty in the city and 
county. On the 7th of November, 1894, Mr. 
RejTiolds was united in marriage to Miss 
Fanny Kirkman, daughter of William H. and 
Isabella Kirkman, well known residents of 
Walla Walla, where I\Irs. Reynolds was born. 
Our subject and his wife are the parents of 
.two children, William Allen, and Almos. the 
former of whom w-as born November 19, 1895, 
and the latter May 19, 1898. 



LORENZO A. DAVIS, one of the ener- 
getic and progressive farmers and business 
men of the vicinity of Walla Walla, is a na- 
tive of Indiana, born February 26, 1853. His 
education was received in the state of Wiscon- 
sin, whither his parents moved when he was 
about four years old. At the age of eighteen 
he set out for the west, and finally located in 



the vicinity of Walla AX'alla, where he has re- 
sided almost continuously since. He has al- 
ways been a true friend of his neighborhood, 
and has ever manifested a willingness to do his 
full share for the general welfare. He is iden- 
tified with Columbia Lodge, No. 26, F. & A. 
M., and with the F. O. E. He was married in 
Walla \Ya\\a. in 1S78, to iliss Ida Pettibone, 
a native of that city, and they are parents of 
one son, Cyrus A. 

JNIr. Davis' father, Cyrus, a native of Ver- 
mont, was born Alaj- 3, 1827, is both a glass- 
blower and a stone cutter, having learned those 
handicrafts in early youth. He followed 
stone-work in Ohio and Wisconsin until 1871, 
when he came out to \\'alla \\'alla, and pur- 
chased what is now known as the Davis ranch. 
He later purchased land on Whisky creek, and 
engaged quite extensively in stock-raising and 
general farming. In 1883, however, he moved 
to Pataha City and in 1888 to Dayton, where 
he now resides. He is one of the best known 
and most highly esteemed of the early pio- 
neers, and deserves an honored place among 
those who have laid the foundations of our 
western civilization. 



THEADORE H. JESSUP, of the real es- 
tate firm of Worth & Jessup, has long been 
prominent in the civil administration of Walla 
W^alla county. He was born in Indiana July 
29, 1848, but received his education in Polk 
county, Iowa, his father having moved there 
when he was four years old. For a number 
of years after leaving school he followed farm- 
ing as an occupation. In 1878, however, he 
came out to this county, located at Waitsburg, 
and engaged in the butcher business. In 1883 
he accepted a position as clerk for E. L. Powell, 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



309 



by whom he was employed for tlie ensuing 
three years. He was appointed postmaster un- 
der Cleveland's first administration, and filled 
that ofiice wnth credit to himself for a period 
of four years, after which he then accepted an- 
other clerical position. 

In 1894 Mr. Jessup was elected county as- 
sessor, but on the expiration of his term he 
again became a clerk, and so remained until 
1896, when he was asked to accept a deputy- 
ship under County Assessor William Gholson. 
In 1898 he moved to Walla Walla and opened 
a real estate office in the quarters now occupied 
by the firm of which he is a member. 

Mr. Jessup is one of the must highly es- 
teemed of the citizens of Walla \Valla county, 
and enjoys the entire confidence and hearty 
good will of all who know him. He is a very 
active man in fraternal circles, being identified 
with the A. O. U. W., the I. O. O. F. and the 
F. & A. M. On April 18, 1867, he married 
Miss Sophronia M. Olds, a native of Ohio, 
and they now have three children living, name- 
ly: Anna B., wife of W. C. Roach, of Seattle; 
Mary L., wife of J. W. McLean, of Waits- 
burg; and Lethia Burrel Clare. The names 
of the deceased children are Frank, Edward and 
Lizzie. 



MRS. EMELINE J. MABRY, of Walla 
Walla, widow of Thomas Mabry, was l:)orn in 
Ontario, Canada, April 11, 1839. Her father, 
Stephen M. Herrett, was a courier for the Brit- 
ish government in the war of 1812. She ac- 
quired her education in the public schools of 
her native land, remaining there until twenty- 
eight years old, when she moved to Detroit, 
Michigan. Here she met and married Mr. 
John Clement, with whom she came to Rich- 
mond, Illinois. Tliev followed the shoe busi- 



ness there and in Osage, Iowa, for about six 
years, then tried the same line in Carthage, 
Missouri, but soon returned to Bedford, Iowa, 
where, for a number of years afterwards, they 
combined their former occupation with farm- 
ing, Mrs. Clement superintending operations 
on the place, while Mr. Clement followed his 
trade in town. 

Tliey afterwards pursued the same dual oc- 
cupation in Beloit, Kansas, but losing heavily 
in the grasshopper scourge, they at length de- 
cided to come west. They were in business 
in Oregon about two years, after which they 
came to this valley, via the old portage route. 
Mr. Clement died here in 1S80, and for a few- 
years afterwards Mrs. Clement had some very 
trying experiences, but her stamina and energy 
enabled her to triumph over all adverse cir- 
cumstances. In 1 88 1, she rented the place in 
which she now li\-es for the purpose of keeping 
boarders, also pre-empted one hundred and' 
sixty acres twelve miles north of the city. By 
paying some cash and trading this land in as 
part payment, she obtained title to her present 
home in 1885, but it was quite hea\-ily en- 
cumbered, and after only one payment had been 
made, her second husband, Mr. Mabry, whom 
she had married in 1884, died, and she was left 
to struggle with heavy debts alone. Despite 
the prophesies of her friends, however, she suc- 
ceeded in meeting her payments ; indeed she has 
also added wing after wing to the original 
house, until it has become one of the most com- 
fortable and best e(|uippe(l residences in the 
city. She might well retire now, but is too 
ambitious and active to care for a life of idle- 
ness. 

Mrs. Mabry is an enthusiastic Christian 
Scientist, and she has good reason to be, having 
been restored to health through the agency of 
tl'iat faith after being given u,) by the physi- 



3'0 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



cians. Slic had a cancerous growth on lier left 
cheek, which defied all treatment until she put 
her case in the hands of the Christian Science 
healers, after which it, and all attendant ail- 
ments, quickly disappeared. 

Mr. IMabry, her last husband, was one of 
the well known and higlily esteemed business 
men of Walla Walla, and when he died in 1886, 
his loss was mourned by all who knew him. 
He was a prominent member of the local lodge, 
L O. O. F. 



AL:^I0S H. REYNOLDS was born in Ma- 
drid. St. Lawrence county, New York, on the 
2 1 St of October, 1808, being the son of Nicho- 
las Reynolds, who was a native of the state of 
Vermont, and who was a millwright by trade. 
-After a temporary residence in several locali- 
ties the family removed to Aurora, Erie coun- 
ty, New York,, where Almos was reared and 
educated, becoming a millwright by occupation, 
having learned the trade under the direction of 
his father. In the year 1838, he removed to 
the west, residing for a time in Illinois, whence 
he moved to Iowa. He was a resident of 
Davenport, the latter state for the greater por- 
tion of the time up to the year 1850, when he 
made his way across the plains to California. 
In the succeeding year he crossed the mountains 
to Oregon, and here he devoted his attention to 
mill building. 

In 'Slav. 1S59. \lr. Reynolds became a resi- 
dent of Walla Walla and with the upbuilding 
and progress of the Garden City his name was 
most conspicuously identified, and here he con- 
tinued to make his home until his death, which 
occurred on the 21st of April, 1889. He was 
a man of strictest integrity in all the relations 
of life, was endowed with market business an^d 
executive ability, and was signally successful 



in temporal affairs, being known and recog- 
nized as one of the leading citizens of the 
county, where he was held in the highest esteem 
as one of the valued and honored pioneers of 
this state. He erected many mills throughout 
the territory of Washington, two of them in 
the immediate vicinity of Walla Walla. He 
also built, and for several years owned, the 
woolen mills at Dayton, now the county seat 
of Columbia county. He was associated with 
Dr. J. H. Day in the establishing of the first 
banking business in Walla Walla, the same be- 
ing a private institution, conducted under the 
firm name of Reynolds & Day. He later be- 
came one of the principal stockholders of the 
First National bank, in whose organization he 
was largely instrumental. He was public- 
spirited and e\'er maintained a lively interest in 
all that conser\-e(l the progress and substantial 
upbuilding of the city and county where he 
passed many years of a useful and honorable 
life. 

The marriage of ]\Ir. Reynolds was solem- 
nized on the 23d of May, 1861, when he was 
united to Miss Lettice J. Clark, nee Millican. 
the widow of Ransom Clark, who first crossed 
the plains to Oregon with Fremont, in 1843. 
Mrs. Clark was a resident of Walla Walla at 
the time of her marriage to Mr. Reynolds, and 
this city still continues to be her home. She 
is held in the highest esteem as one of the ven- 
erable pioneers of the county. By her mar- 
riage to Mr. Clark she became the mother of 
three children, — Charles, born August 29, 
1846; William, April 9, 1857; and Lizzie, Au- 
gust 19, 1859. Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds became 
the parents of two sons, — Harry A., who was 
born Octolier 14, 1S63, and who is now one of 
the prosperous agriculturists of the county ; and 
Allen H., of whom more extended mention is 
elsewhere made. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



31 r 



GEORGE SMAILS, a pioneer of 1862, 
was born in W'est Virginia, April 2"/, 1838. 
His education, however, was acquired in Illi- 
nois, to which state his parents moved when he 
was six years old. He accompanied the fam- 
ily to Iowa in 1854, and followed farming in 
that state for a few years, but in 1862 he set 
out across the plains with ox-teams. Reaching 
Walla Walla in due time, he purchased one hun- 
dred and sixty acres six miles south of the town, 
and again engaged in farming, buying more 
land at a later date. In 1883, he disposed of 
his holdings, moved into Walla Walla, and en- 
gaged in a hotel and livery business. He it 
was who built the Exchange hotel, of which he 
was proprietor until 1888. Shortly afterward 
he received an appointment as a member of the 
city police force. For the ensuing ten years, 
he served as such officer, invariably performing 
his fluties conscientiously, and with skill and 
dispatch. He has been living in comparative 
retirement for the past few years. 

]\Ir. Smails is a very public-spirited man, 
and has always donated liberally to every de- 
serving public enterprise of both his money and 
his time. His fraternal affiliations are with 
the F. O. E. He was married in Iowa, in 
1858. to Miss Mary E. Harvey, a native of that 
state, and to them have been born six children, 
Nancy, now Mrs. Felix Warren, Sarah, now 
Mrs. John Knifong, of Colfax, John F., in busi- 
ness in Walla Walla, Harvey, also in business 
in Walla Walla, Robert E.. in business at 
Lewiston, Idaho, and Bettie. wife of Frank 
Strong, of Spokane. 



WIXFIELD S. OFFNER, who is at the 
head of one of the leading commercial enter- 
prises of the city of Walla Walla, where he 



conducts an extensive business as a wholesale 
dealer in fruit and produce, is a native of St. 
Joseph, Missouri, where he was born in the 
year 1847. He g^rew up under the sturdy and 
invigorating discipline of the farm, under the 
guidance of his grandparents, his father and 
mother having both died in his infancy. His 
educational advantages were those afforded by 
the public schools, which he was enabled to at- 
tend somewhat irregularly. 

In 1864, when but seventeen years of age,, 
he started across the plains with a party, the 
transportation ecpiipment being that afforded 
by ox-teams. They had reached a point near 
Fort Kearney, Nebraska, when the Indians 
captured the train, killing several of the party 
and burning the wagons. Those who escaped 
were compelled to return to their starting place. 
In 1866 our subject made a second attempt, 
being on this occasion successful in reaching 
Denver with an ox train, transporting freight. 
In the succeeding year Mr. Offner again start- 
ed out with an ox train from St. Joseph and 
in due course of time arrived safely in Sac- 
ramento, California. He remained in the 
Golden state for a period of four years, after 
which he returned to Missouri for a sojourn 
of two years, was then again in California 
four years, finally returning through the Chero- 
kee strip to his native state, thence again to 
California in 1877, where he remained until 
the following year, in November of the same 
lieing united in marriage to Miss Frances E. 
Abbott, who accompanied him on his trip to 
Walla Walla in the following month. 

The young couple took up land in the 
Ritzville country, where our subject put in one 
crop, which failed, whereupon he abandoned 
his claim and returned to Walla Walla, which 
has ever been the field of his well directed and 
successful operations. Here he engaged in 



312 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



fruit growing and shipping, an enterprise 
which he has developed from modest propor- 
tions until it is now one of wide scope and un- 
mistakable importance. He has one iiundred 
acres of fine fruit orchard, tlie principal prod- 
ucts of which are apples, prunes and pears, of 
which he raises the finest varieties, shipping to 
the leading markets of the Union. His farm, 
which is located one-half mile west of the city 
limits, is one of tire best in a section noted 
for its unexcelled productiveness as a fruit- 
growing country. Here he employs in the sea- 
son from fifty to sixty persons, and his business 
is one that has unmistakable influence on the 
■commercial precedence of the city of Walla 
"Walla. Air. Offner's prominence in his line of 
industry may be understood more clearly when 
it is stated that he has held for the past six 
years, or since the inception of the organiza- 
tion, the office of treasurer of the Northwest 
Fruit Growers' Association, whose province 
includes Oregon. Washington, Idaho, Mon- 
tana and British Columbia. 

In his religious proclivities Air. Offner ad- 
heres to the faith of the Cumberland Presby- 
terian church, of which he is a consistent mem- 
ber, while fraternally he is identified with the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the 
Ancient Order of L^nited Workmen. 

Air. and Mrs. Offner became the parents of 
five children: Chester R. ; Alyrtle, deceased; 
Lelah : Winnie, and the baby, as yet unnamed. 



HON. HENRY PERRY ISAACS.— 
Every age and section has its beacon lights, men 
who rise above the general level of their kind as 
the mountain peak exceeds in loftiness the ex- 
tensive plateau at its base. The forms in which 
this transcendent abilitv manifests itself are 



many and various, but in a new country great 
and unusual native power generally finds its 
field of activity in material lines, enabling its 
possessor to project and promote enterprises 
of broad design and far-reaching import. In 
the qualities which characterize these geniuses 
of action, these giants of industrial achieve- 
ment, few men can stand beside the Hon. H. 
P. Isaacs, whose acti\'ity and success in pro- 
moting the material development of the section 
in which he had chosen his home was such as 
to justif}^ the statement that "to some extent 
the history of Henry Perry Isaacs is the history 
of southeastern Washington and northeastern 
Oregon." He certainly stands pre-eminent 
among the men who have made the states of 
W^ashington, Oregon and Idaho what tliey are 
to-day. 

Our subject was born in Philadelphia Alarch 
17, 1822. In his veins mingled together in 
equal proportions were the blood of the hard- 
headed English race and of the sturdy and 
indomitable Scot. After receiving a common- 
school education he entered tlie employ of a 
large mercantile house in Philadelphia, there 
securing an insight into business methods which 
proved of inestimable value in later years. 
\\'hen twenty-one years old he removed to In- 
diana with the double end in view of seeing 
something of the outside country and of trying 
his hand in a general merchandise business of 
his own, thus testing his qualifications for in- 
dependent enterprise in the commercial world. 
What the outcome of this first venture was we 
are not informed, but of this we are certain 
that the trip to Indiana and a later journey to 
New Orleans enabled him to realize the real 
magnitude of the west and south and perhaps 
had an important influence on his later career. 
We find him a few }-ears later en route to 
the Pacific coast, the immediate lure which in- 




HENRY PERRY ISAACS. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



313 



duced him westward lieino- tlie California go^d 
excitement. He was not especially successful 
ii' his mining ventures, but he saw a land of 
promise and his broad, clear vision enabled him 
to perceive clearly the true situalidu. 

In 1858 Mr. Isaacs gave substantial testi- 
nvony to his faith in the agricultural possibil- 
ities of the country by erecting at Fort Col- 
ville, Washington, his first flouring mill. He 
demonstrated to the fanners that wlieat could 
be produced profitably on the hills and uplands 
which in those early days had been given over 
to stock-raising, the supposition being that 
bunch grass was all that would grow in any 
abundance on them. 

In 1862 he built the North Pacific mills at 
Walla Walla, Washington; in 1864 he erected 
the War Eagle mills at Boise City, Idaho ; in 
1865 the Middleton mills at Middleton, Idaho; 
in 1883 the North Pacific mills "B" at Pres- 
cott, Washington, and in 1898 the North Pa- 
cific mills "C" at Wasco, Oregon. His large 
experience in milling" made him the foremost 
miller on the Pacific coast; his knowledge of 
the manufacture and handling of flour became 
proverbial and he was recognized as an author- 
ity on all matters pertaining thereto. The 
enormous output of his splendid milling system 
found a market in the Orient, much of it going 
to China. Mr. Isaacs was the first miller on 
the Pacific coast to adopt the roller system, 
the modern process of milling, his first rolls 
(of porcelain) being imported from Switzer- 
land in 18-7. 

"Outside r)f millir.g circles, li(iwc\'cr. Mr. 
Isaacs was best known for his ])ublic spirit. 
After demonstrating the possibilities of wheat 
raising he proceeded to blaze the way for the 
fruit-grower by setting out one of the first or- 
chards in the vicinity of Walla Walla, in 1864, 



and later a vineyard. From this beginning he 
proceeded to successful experiments with al- 
most every variety of fruit and vegetable grown 
in the north temperate zone. He was an espe- 
cial devotee to progress in agriculture and horti- 
culture, and gave liberally of his time and 
money to this cause." 

Neither did Mr. Isaacs neglect to take a 
place of leadership in ]X)litical matters. He 
represented Walla Walla county in the terri- 
torial council of 1885-6, at which session he 
introduced the bill establishing the state peni- 
tentiary at Walla Walla. 

"Mr. Isaacs was the first to attempt to in- 
duce G. W. Hunt to try the construction of 
the Washington & Columbia river line from 
Dayton to Wallula, and thence to Pendleton, 
and the line was successfully built and op- 
erated. He was the president of the Commer- 
cial Clul.) at the time, and used every efTort to 
secure the early construction of the road. He 
lived to see it in a prosperous condition, op- 
erating with good stock and making money for 
the stockholders, as well as serving the farmers 
of a large stretch of country." 

"But few other men in all Washington 
have become so thoroughly conversant with the 
state, with all its varied interests, or were so 
nnich enthused with the success of its enter- 
prises as Mr. Isaacs; and but few men have 
been permitted to take so active a part in the 
development of the section of country in which 
he had chosen his home." 

In llie i)assing of Mr. Isaacs, which oc- 
curred July 14, 1900, the state of Wash- 
ington, and in fact the entire Pacific north- 
west, lost a citizen of inestimable value, a true 
and sincere friend of progress and a man 
whiise cherished aspirations were to promote 
th.eir highest and best welfare. 



314 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



JAY H. HALL, deceased, a pioneer of 
1886, was born in Smith county, Virginia, on 
September 5, 1832. He received his education 
in a puljHc school of that state, tlicn worked 
on iiis father's farm until nineteen years of 
age, when he went to Tennessee and engaged 
in farming on his own account. When the 
war broke out he removed to Ir\-ing, Kentucky, 
and he was engaged in running a ferry across 
the river at that point as long as hostilities 
lasted. He did an excellent business notwith- 
standing the fact that he conveyed many sol- 
diers across the river, from whom he received 
no recompensa. 

After the war Mr. Hall went back to Clay- 
burn county, Tennessee, where he had a farm. 
He remained there until 1S84, then removed to 
Brown county, Texas, where for some time he 
was engaged in raising oats, cotton and corn. 
Subsequently, however, he removed to Port- 
land, Oregon, whence, the next spring, he came 
to the Walla Walla valley. After prospecting 
for land for almost the entire summer, he 
finally purchased three hundred acres of land 
on the Touchet river, two miles north of 
Touchet station, and he was engaged in farm- 
ing this until his death, which occurred June 10, 
1899. 

Mr. Hall was one of the good, substantial 
citizens of the county, and while he never 
seemed to care for any office and displayed 
no ambition to be a leader among his fellow 
men. he was universally respected as a man of 
integrity and worth. He was married in Clay- 
burn county, Tennessee, on November 15, 
1847, to Miss Eliza Nunn, a native of that 
county and state, and to tlieir union were born 
thirteen children, eight of whom are living, 
namely ; Thomas and John, with their mother ; 
William, on a farm on the Touchet river; J. 
H., Jr., a cotton planter in Arkansas; Amanda 



B., wife of Albert Burns; Lucinda, now Mrs. 
Herbert Hanson; Mollie, wife of Allen Burns, 
of Echo, Oregon; and Sally, wife of William 
Rand, of Wallula, Washington. 



ELLSWORTH E. SHAW, M. D.— Num- 
bered among the representative and success- 
ful physicians of W'alla Walla is Dr. Shaw, 
who has been a resident of this city since 
1888. Dr. Shaw is a native of the old Pine 
Tree state, having been born in Palmyra, 
Maine, in the year 1859. His initial educa- 
tional discipline was secured in the public 
schools, after which he matriculated in Bow- 
doin College and subsequently in Dartmouth, 
where he completed a course in the medical 
department, graduating with the degree of 
Doctor of Medicine, in the year 1884. He has 
still farther reinforced his professional train- 
ing by a post-graduate course in the Bellevue 
Hospital Medical College, in New York city. 

Dr. Shaw began the practice of his profes- 
sion in Fort Fairfield, Maine, where he con- 
tinued to reside for a period of five years, 
when he determined to avail himself of the 
superior opportunities afforded in the west. 
Accordingly, in 1888. he came to Walla Walla, 
as has been before mentioned. The Doctor 
is a member of the State Medical Society, the 
Liland Empire Medical Society and the Ore- 
gon Medical Society, while in his fraternal re- 
lations he is identified with the Lidependent 
Order of Odd Fellows and the Benevolent 
Protective Order of Elks. He has maintained 
a constant interest in the public affairs of a 
local nature and is at the jiresent time a di- 
rector of the jjublic library, being chairman of 
the board. 

The marriage of the Docttjr was solem- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



315 



nizecl in Lawrence, ^Massachusetts, in 1885, 
when he was united to Miss Alary Felker. 
Their home is at 222 Jones street. 



HON. JAMES McAULIFF, a pioneer of 
1859, was born on the island of Malta, May 
25, 1828. In 1842 he came with his parents to 
the United States, locating with them in 
Youngstown, New York. When Mr. McAuliff 
became seventeen, he enlisted in the United 
States army, as a musician, and before long he 
found himself in active service in the Mexi- 
can war. He participated in the battles of Vera 
Cruz, Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Churubusco, and 
in numerous skirmishes, and was active at the 
storming of Chepultepec and the taking of the 
City of Mexico, serving in the Second United 
States Infantry. At the close of hostilities he 
was sent to Fort Hamilton, New York harbor, 
whence, shortly afterward, his regiment was 
ordered to Benicia, California, but he with 
others was transferred and sent to Governor's 
Island, for assignment. He was assigned to 
Company K, Fourth Infantry, and sent to Fort 
Gratiot, Michigan, remaining there from that 
time until 1852, when his regiment was or- 
dered t(j the Pacific coast. He remained in Van- 
couver Barracks for a time, eventually going 
thence to The Dalles, Oregon, where in 1855 
Mr. McAuliff was honorably discharged, with 
the rank of first duty sergeant. During the 
Mexican war he was twice wounded. The first 
was a saber cut on the left shoulder received 
in a hand to hand contest with four Mexicans, 
while he was carrying dispatches, and the sec- 
ond was a gun-shot wound received in a street 
fight at the taking of the City of Mexico. 

After retiring from the army our subject 
opened a general merchandise store in The 



Dalles, which was maintained until 1861. In 
1859 he opened a branch store in Walla Walla, 
near which city he had some time before par- 
ticipated in the famous four-days" fight at 
Whitman Station, in which three hundred and 
fifty volunteers under Lieutenant-Colonel 
James K. Kelly were surrounded by thousands 
of Indians. They suffered great hardships 
during this memorable campaign, at one time 
being compelled to live on horse-flesh alone for 
three weeks. 

Mr. McAuliff' maintained the store in Walla 
Walla until 1S62, though twice burned out 
prior to that time without insurance. The next 
year he opened a general merchandise store 
in Idaho City, but this also was burned out in 
1865, proving a total loss. Misfortunes of 
one kind and another followed him for years 
after. In 1883 he opened a lumber yard in 
Walla Walla which was supplied by a large mill 
owned by him in the Blue mountains, twen- 
ty-three miles south of town. The mill was 
burned and four hundred and fifty thousand 
feet of lumber, the loss being about six thou- 
sand five hundred dollars, none of which was 
covered by insurance. He sent a pack train to 
the Kootenai mines in 1875, loaded with five 
thousand dollars worth of merchandise, all of 
which, except a case of gum boots, was lost in 
the Snake river by the overturning of a ferry. 
His great energy and business ability were, 
however, such as to enable him to, in large 
measure, defy misfortune, and he has done well 
financially in spite of disaster. 

For years Mr. McAuliff has been a very 
prominent man in political affairs of city, coun- 
ty and state. From 1862 to 1867 he held the 
office of CDunty treasurer, and on retiring from 
that position was at once called upon to fill an 
unexpired term as sheriff. He held this office 
by appointment and election for four years. 



3i6 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



During the session of 1864-5. he represented 
the county in the territorial legislature, hav- 
ing been elected to do so on the Democratic 
ticket. He was a member of Walla \Valla's 
first city council, and for ten years he sat in 
the seat of its chief executive, so that he has 
seen his share of public service. 

Our subject is a charter member of \\'alla 
Walla Lodge No. 7, F. & A. ^[., of Washing- 
ton Lodge, No. 2, L O. O. F., and of the K. 
of P., and he also affiliates with the Eagles. 
He was married in Port Huron, Michigan, 
May 24, 1850, to Miss Isabella Kincaid, who 
died in Walla Walla November 19, 1889, leav- 
ing four children: Annie P., wife of Dr. W. 
B. Clowe; Thomas, a resident of Spokane; 
William, a farmer in Toppenish, Washington ; 
and Frank, a farmer in the same locality. 



JOHN JACOB KAUFFMAN.— Though 
a young man yet, the date of his birth being 
May 25, 1869, the man whose name forms the 
caption of this article has for several years been 
regarded as one of the leading spirits of Walla 
Walla. He has proved himself a man of ability, 
good judgment and faithfulness in the various 
positions of trust which he has held, and his 
broad-minded public spirit and unselfish inter- 
est in the welfare of the city have been mani- 
fested by his long and faithful service as a 
member of the volunteer fire department. 

He is a native of Wayland, Henry county, 
Iowa, and there he took his first steps in the ac- 
quisition of knowledge, but in January, 1883, 
he accompanied the remainder of the family to 
Walla Walla. He attended the local public 
schools here for some time, then entered the 
Empire Business College in which he took a 
complete course, though forced to do all his 



studying and reciting at nights, his time during 
the day being devoted to clerking. 

His first employers were the firm of ]\I. C. 
\\'heelan & Company, for whom he worked six- 
months. He then entered the service of John 
Alheit, remaining with him for one year. In 
1886, he accepted a position with W. G. CuUen, 
the hardware merchant, who profited by his 
efficient service for many years. At the same 
time Mr. Kauft'man was devoting his leisure 
moments to the volunteer fire department, 
with which he became identified first in 1887, 
when he joined Tiger Engine Company, No. i. 
His enthusiam and devotion to duty soon be- 
gan to be recognized and he was asked to accept 
several different offices, among them that of as- 
sistant foreman, a position which he held for 
several terms. In 1892, he was transferred to 
Rescue Engine company. No. 2; in 1895, he 
was elected chief engineer of the entire depart- 
ment, and so efiicient was his service that in 
1896 he was re-elected. In September of the 
same year, he was appointed by the city council 
to fill the unexpired term of AI. Ames, chief of 
police, and in 1897 he was chosen by a majority 
of the electors for the same responsible office. 
In his discharge of the duties of this post he 
has displayed unusual ability, and it may be 
doubted whether any city in the state can boast 
of a more efficient police ofiicer than he has 
proven. As a direct result of his labors during 
the vears of his incumbency of the position 
(for the citizens, recognizing his efficiency, 
have three times re-elected him) eighty-one 
law breakers guilty of penitentiary oiifenses 
have been apprehended and compelled to un- 
dergo the penalty of the law. Space forbids 
specific notice of all his noteworthy arrests, 
Init they include that of J. E. Stephens, who 
many times committed the crime of arson in 
Walla ^^'alla, and that of Hamilton and Ken- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



317 



nedy, notorious burglars, the interception of 
whuni was compassed in May, 1897. 

yir. Kauffman's well developed social tem- 
perament inclines him to take great interest in 
fraternal organizations and he belongs to the 
]\Iasons, the Elks, the Knights of Pythias, the 
Forresters, the Maennerchor and the Eagles. 

Our subject's marriage was solemnized in 
Walla Walla on October 21, 1891, when he 
became the husband of Miss Stella M. Butler, 
a native of the valley, and a daughter of an 
old pioneer of the Coast, "a forty-niner," and a 
respected contractor of Walla Walla. 



DION KEEFE, contractor and farmer, a 
pioneer of 1872, was born in New York state, 
in 1838. He passed the first twelve years of 
his life there, attending the public schools, then 
went to Ontario, Canada, where he attended 
school for four years more. When twenty-one, 
he removed to Chicago. He lived in that city 
for the ensuing thirteen years, serving either as 
foreman or superintendent in the construction 
of various bridges, both for general traffic and 
for the railroads. He subsequently built 
bridges in Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Mis- 
souri, Kansas, Alabama and Florida. He was 
in the last-named state at Pensacola when the 
war broke out, but he then came home at once, 
and entered the employ of the Fox & Howard 
Company. Later he went to work on govern- 
ment contracts, mostly in Missouri, for Chapin 
& Wells. 

Subsequently Mr. Keefe moved to Sioux 
City, Iowa, to accept a position from John I. 
Blair & Company, as bridge constructor on their 
railway. When tliat was completed he, with a 
Mr. Wattles, took a contract to build the 
bridges on the railroad between Sioux City and 



Fort Dodge. That completed, our subject 
worked for some time in grading and bridging 
on the Sioux and Yankton Railroad, and on the 
Elk Horn and Missouri Valley road, but in 
1872 he came out to Walla Walla, bought a 
farm three miles south of town, and engaged in 
agricultural pursuits. Six years later, how- 
ever, he sold this and moved into the town. 
Since that time he has ovi^ned several farms, 
and has done much contracting, getting out 
timber for the Great Northern Railroad Com- 
pany, putting in the electric light plant, etc. 
He has also done some mining and has been in- 
terested in the flour mill business both here and 
in Grande Ronde valley, Oregon. 

Mr. Keefe is a remarkably versatile man, 
possessing the ability to do a great many things, 
and to carry on a great variety of businesses 
successfully. In spite of the many calls upon 
his time he has found leisure to perform his 
duties as a citizen, always taking a lively inter- 
est in local politics, and at one time serving as 
county commissioner. He was married in 
Sioux City, Iowa, in 1870, to Elizabeth Kinzie, 
a native of Michigan, who accompanied him 
to Walla Walla in 1872. They became parents 
of one child, Ida A. Mrs. Keefe died at ^ValIa 
Walla in November, 1898. 



CARL SCHUMACHER, deceased, a pio- 
neer of 1865, was born in Germany in 1831. 
He resided in his fatherland until nineteen 
years of age, receiving sucli education as is 
customarily given to German youth, and after- 
wards learning the trade of a gunsmith. Fie 
then emigrated to San Francisco, where for a 
number of years he followed his handicraft. 
In i860, he was married in Humboldt Bay to 
Mathilde Kruger. who, in 1865, accompanied 



3i8 



HISTORY OF WALLA \\^\LLA COUNTY. 



him to Walla Walla. Here he opened a gun 
shop and store. For many years afterwards he 
continuetl in business as a gunsmith, meeting 
with great prosperity, and accumulating much 
valuable property. He built the Hotel State, 
which still belongs to the family, and he also 
left them several houses and much real estate. 
Mr. Schumacher was a thoroughly reliable, 
conscientious man, commanding universal es- 
teem. He always endeavored to do his part 
part for the advancement of the common weal, 
and contributed his full share toward the 
growth and prosperity of the city. For a num- 
ber of years he served as a member of the 
volunteer fire department. He died September 
lo, 1898, leaving one son, \\'alter, who now 
resides in Portand, Oregon, but intends soon to 
return to \\'alla Walla and make his permanent 
home here in order to be more conveniently lo- 
cated as manager of his own and his mother's 
interests. 



FRANCIS M. LOWDEN, Jr., a farmer 
and stock raiser, member of the Lowden Com- 
pany, was born in Walla Walla county, on 
January 21, 1876. He acquired his education 
in the public schools of the neighborhood and 
in Pullman College, in which institution he took 
a three-years' course in civil engineering. After 
leaving school he returned to the farm, and 
when the present firm was formed he was given 
charge of the stock raising department. He 
has been discharging his duties as such ever 
since 1898, and js still doing so. Mr. Lowden 
is a young man of ability and good judgment, 
thoroughly conversant with the business in 
which he is engaged, and destined, as it would 
seem, to bear an important part in the future 
material and incln-^trial development of the 
■county. 



MARSHALL J. LOWDEN, president 
and business manager of the Lowden Co., was 
born in this county on February 25, 1870. He 
received his education in the public schools and 
in Whitman College, also took a course in the 
Empire Business College. He then returned 
to his father's farm and was engaged with him 
in the business of raising thoroughbred Clyde 
horses and Shorthorn cattle, until the Lowden 
Co. was formed. He then became president 
and business manager of the firm, a position 
which he still retains and the duties of which 
he has discharged successfully from the first. 
He is a young man of energy, good judgment 
and unusual business ability, qualified by nature 
and educational training for the arduous and 
difficult tasks imposed upon him by his present 
situation. The firm have three thousand, eight 
hundred acres and while their principal lousi- 
ness is raising cattle and horses, they also keep 
about two thousand sheep and raise wheat and 
barley for feed and for sale. They are owners 
of "Bonhard," a fine Clyde stallion, imported 
from Scotland into Canada, and brought thence 
to the United States. His weight is one thou- 
sand, six hundred pounds. Mr. Lowden was 
married in Walla ^\'alla on March 3, 1898, to 
Miss Emma Thompson, a native of this city, 
whose father, Robert Thompson, was an early 
pioneer of W'ashington. His life history is 
briefly recorded in another part of this volume. 



JOHN DOOLEY, hay and grain farmer on 
the Walla Walla river, one-half mile east of 
Touchet Station, was born in county Cork, 
Ireland, in 1850. He actpiired his education 
there, but when only twenty years old emi- 
grated to Boston, Massachusetts, where he 
worked for wages a while, his first job being to 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



319 



help clear away the debris after the big fire. 
For five years he made his home in that city, 
but he then removed to San Francisco, via the 
Panama route, and for the two years follow- 
ing' his arri\-al he was engaged in the meat 
business. He then worked in various parts of 
the state, mostly as a farm hand, for a number 
of years, but at length came to The Dalles, 
Oregon, where he entered the employ of the 
Oregon Railway & Navigation Company. He 
helped to build the Wallula branch through 
\\'alla Walla to the Snake river, also partici- 
pated in the construction of the road to Hunt- 
ington. 

Mr. Dooley then entered the employ of the 
Northern Pacific Railroad Company, and 
worked for them at the Cascade tunnel for a 
year and nine months, at the end of which time 
he came back to Walla Walla. He worked here 
for wages a while, but afterwards took a home- 
stead near Touchet Station, where he has re- 
sided for about sixteen years, engaged in farm- 
ing. He is a thrifty, industrious man and a 
successful agriculturist. Li this county, in 
1884, our subject married Miss Kate Martin, 
who was born in Ireland but reared and edu- 
cated in Glasgow, Scotland. They have three 
children, Mary C, John T. and Annie, all stu- 
dents in the Catholic School in Walla Walla. 
The entire family are of the Catholic persua- 
sion. 



LOUIS SCHOLL. architect at Walla 
Walla, was born in Germany in 1829, and there 
the first seventeen 5fears of his life were passed. 
He received his education in the Lyceum Poly- 
technic school, and in other institutions, study- 
ing engineering and architecture. In 1848, 
he emigrated to the United States. He kept 
store two years in New York, then tried farm- 



ing in St. Charles, Missouri, for a like period. 
In 1852 he crossed the plains to California, 
ar.d the following spring he set out alone over 
the Sierra Ne\'ada mountains to purchase cat- 
tle from immigrants. He followed that plan 
for two summers, meeting with some exciting 
adventures, and at one time being robbed of his 
pack animals. 

During the winter of 1854-55, Mr. Scholl 
served as C|uartermaster's clerk under Captain 
Rufus Ingalls. The next spring, he went as 
guide, with Colonel Steptoe to Benecia, Cali- 
fornia, where he passed the ensuing winter, 
making sketches of the overland road for the 
Sacramento Union. He subsequently went to 
The Dalles, Oregon, as a government architect, 
experiencing on the way up a perilous advent- 
ure with a mutinous crew on board a burning 
vessel. For two seasons he served under Gen- 
eral Harney, as leader and guide of forces sent 
out to discover shorter and better routes for 
overland immigrants into Pacific coast states. 
In the spring of 1861, he came to Fort Walla 
Walla, whence, in October, he was sent to Fort 
Worth, Texas, via California and Mexico, with 
fifty army wagons and three hundred mules. 
This trip, however, was abandoned, Mr. Scholl 
was summoned to Washington, and from that 
time until 1864 served as quartermaster's clerk, 
as harbor master, and in different other capaci- 
ties in connection with the Union army, wit- 
nessing several great battles and being more 
than once called upon to perform difficult and 
exacting duties. 

Upon retiring from the army, our subject 
returned to the coast. In 1866, he accepted a 
position as bookkeeper for Mr. H. P. Isaacs, at 
P)oise, Idaho, and lie afterwards served for a 
numl)er of years in the same capacity under 
George McBride. At the outbreak of the Chief 
Joseph war, he again became quartermaster's 



320 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



clerk, serving a uiiile at Fort Boise and later 
under Colonel Sumner, with whom he went 
to Presidio, near San Francisco, where he 
made General Howard's official map. Return- 
ing to \\'alla Walla in 1879, he became book- 
keeper for the Northern Pacific Flour Mills 
Compan}-, and in 1882 he surveyed the canal 
and made the plans for their plant at Prescott. 
He then acted as superintendent for the com- 
pany there until 1894, when he retired to enjoy 
a well earned repose. His has been a life of 
intense activity, among adventures and dangers 
such as few ever experience. His indomitable 
energy, together with great natural ability, de- 
veloped by early educational advantages, has 
made him successful in every undertaking, and 
a real master among men. 

I\Ir. Scholl married, at The Dalles, Oregon, 
in 1864, Miss Elizabeth Fulton, a very early 
pioneer of that state, and they have three liv- 
ing children ; Carl, a millwright of ability, and 
Louis, Jr., and Bismark, in the City INIills; also 
one, Mary Priszelli, deceased. 



LEWIS Mc:MORRIS.— Among those who 
merit consideration as distinctive pioneers of 
the northwest is he whose name initiates this 
review. Mr. McMorris is a native of the Buck- 
eye state, having been born in Ohio on the 12th 
of August, 1 83 1. His practical experiences in 
the battle of life have, however, been met far 
from the classic old state of his birth. WHien he 
was a lad of eight years he accompanied his 
parents on their removal to Shelby county, 
Illinois, where he received his educational dis- 
cipline and grew to man's estate. 

In the month of March, 1852, our subject 
started on the long and perilous journey across 
the plains and mountains, making the trip by 



means of the primitive ox-team equipment and 
arriving in the Willamette valley, Oregon, in 
the fall of the same year. There he was for a 
time engaged in mining, finally going from 
southern Oregon to Yreka, California, whence 
he returned to Oregon, in the year 1855, and 
engaged in packing for the troops during the 
Indian wars, as an employe of the quarter- 
master's department of the Oregon volunteers. 
In the fall of the year mentioned he accom- 
panied the soldiers on an expedition to Yakima 
and thence to Walla Walla, where they had an 
engagement with the hostile Indians. Of this 
and other conflicts with the red men a detailed 
report may be found on other pages of this 
work. Eventually Mr. ISIcMorris returned to 
The Dalles, Oregon, where he was employed 
in the quartermaster's department with the 
United States regulars, with whom, in 1856, 
he made another expedition to Yakima, under 
Colonel Wright of the Ninth Infantry, return- 
ing with him to The Dalles, from which point 
he accompanied Colonel Steptoe to Walla 
Walla, their purpose being to establish an army 
post here. 

He continued in the government employ 
until the following year, w^hen he again went 
to The Dalles, purchased an ox-team and en- 
gaged in freighting, in company with Mr. 
JMcGlinchey and Captain Freedman, for whom 
he built the first house on the south side of 
Main street in Walla Walla, the same being 
then the third house in the town. It was located 
at the corner of Third. He continued to be 
associated with the gentlemen mentioned until 
this section of the country was thrown open to 
settlement, whereupon he availed himself of the 
privileges accorded, by securing a pre-emption 
claim two miles south of the town, where he 
was engaged in stock raising for several years, 
simultaneously operating a pack train to Boise, 




LEWIS McMORRIS. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



321 



Idaho. His next venture was at Weston, 
Oregon, where he was engaged in the mercan- 
tile business with his brother. Subsequently 
he was for four years a contractor on the stage 
line operating between Dayton, Washington, 
and Lewiston, Idaho. 

Now venerable in years, crowned with the 
honors of a busy and useful life and secure in 
the esteem of all who know him as one of the 
pioneers of the Inland Empire, Mr. McMorris 
is practically retired from active business pur- 
suits, though he gives his personal supervision 
to his real estate interests, a considerable 
amount of which he owns in various parts of 
the country. He has always maintained a pub- 
lic-spirited attitude and has contributed his 
quota to the advancement and substantial up- 
building of this favored section of our national 
domain. It should be mentioned in this con- 
nection that ]\Ir. AIcMorris laid out the town of 
Wallula and also donated to the railroad com- 
pany the land which they use for depot pur- 
poses there. He is a member of the Indian 
\\'ar Veterans of the Pacific Northwest, and his 
reminiscences of the early days are very inter- 



esting. 



RALPH E. GUICHARD, proprietor of the 
Whitehouse Clothing Company, is prominent 
among the rising young business men of eastern 
^\'ashington. Born in Walla Walla on Jan- 
uary 6, 1869, he has been a resident of that 
city almost continuously since. He received 
his preliminary education at the Catholic acad- 
emy, then at the age of fifteen entered the 
drug store of Charles A. Hungate, as clerk. 
He remained there seven years, studying phar- 
macy and in due time becoming a competent 
and registered druggist. He subsequently 

spent three years in the same store under T. W. 
21 



Esteb and one with James McAuliff, then be- 
came a partner in the business, the firm name 
being Guichard & McAuliff. A few months 
later, however, this partnership was dissolved, 
and ]Mr. Guichard entered the employ of the 
\Vhitehouse Clothing Company, in which cor- 
poration he subsequently became part owner. 
In 1900, the entire business passed into his 
hands. His shrewdness, industry, cautiousness 
of management, and untiring devotion to busi- 
ness have won for him an honored place among 
the commercial leaders of this section, and his 
i: the leading clothing house in Walla Walla. 
In fraternal affiliations, Mr. Guichard is identi- 
fied with the B. P. O. E. 

The father of our subject, Judge Rudolph 
Guichard, a man of fine intellectual attainments 
and unswerving integrity, as was proven by his 
uniform faithfulness and honesty in all the re- 
lations of his life, public and private, was a 
native of Zeitz, Prussia, born December 8, 
1830. He landed in New York in 1854, and 
for a year thereafter resided in Rhode Island 
and Massachusetts, going thence to \\'est Vir- 
ginia, and thence to Newport, Kentucky, where 
he enlisted in the United States army. On 
August 10, 1S57, he was sent to Fort Walla 
Walla. 

On retiring from the army he established a 
mercantile business in this city, which he main- 
tained with success until 1871. In 1884 he was 
admitted to the bar, and held many important 
offices, among them being those of probate 
judge, register of the land office, county treas- 
urer and penitentiar}^ commissioner. He was 
a leader in the Democratic party, and was es- 
teemed liy all. Fraternally he was a very prom- 
inent Mason. 

For over thirty years the Judge was a great 
sufferer from a rheumatic ailment, but notwith- 
standing severe bodily torture he always 



322 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUxNTY. 



greeted those with whom lie came in contact 
with a smihng countenance and a cheering 
word, and very naturally his friends were num- 
bered by the hundreds. , He was married in 
Walla Walla. October 14, 1S66, to Miss Mary 
INIorrison, and of their union three children 
were born, Ralph E., Alliert and Mary. He 
died April 3, 1S98. 



ROBERT J. STRINGER, a pioneer of 
1867, was born in Ireland, January 6, 1827, 
and in that country he grew to man's estate and 
was educated. In 1848 he emigrated to Amer- 
ica, and in 1850 he engaged in the meat market 
business in Cincinnati, Ohio. He followed that 
line of work in Ohio, Missouri, iMinnesota, and 
Iowa until 1858, then went to Fort Leaven- 
worth and secured a contract to furnish beef 
for the troops. This contract kept him em- 
ployed until 1S59, when he went to Fort Albu- 
querque. New Mexico, with Colonel Critten- 
den, in charge of the government cattle. 

Returning to Kansas City, Missouri, he se- 
cured another contract from the United States 
government, for furnishing beef. During the 
first year of the war, he supplied meat to the 
troops of the Department of Missouri, but in 
1862 he was appointed sutler for the Fifth 
Division, Missouri Regulars. He performed 
his duty as such until after the battle of Island 
No. 10, but was then forced to resign on ac- 
count of failing health. He returned to St. 
Louis, whence, in 1864, pursuant to the advice 
of his physicians, he set out for California via 
the isthmus. He again engaged in the meat busi- 
ness upon his arrival. A year later, he was 
sent by General Steele to The Dalles, Oregon, 
a<: storekeeper of the Fort, and in 1866 he was 
removed to Fort Lapwai, and given the posi- 



tion of chief quartermaster's agent. Before 
long, however, he again received a government 
contract, and this brought him to Walla Walla, 
where he has since resided. He has been in the 
meat business continuously, building up an ex- 
tensive general trade, and also, at times, supply- 
ing the forts in his home town and Colville. 
He is the owner of a fine farm twenty-eight 
miles north of Walla Walla. 

Mr. Stringer has always taken an active in- 
terest in the general up-building of his locality, 
donating liberally to institutions of public bene- 
fit, and ever exerting a sensible influence in the 
direction of progress. He was married in 
Iowa, in 1857, to Miss Susan M. Murphy, a 
scion of a noted Irish family, and to them have 
been born ten children : John, deputy United 
States marshal at Seattle; William; Andrew; 
Charles; Anna, wife of Mr. Doyle; JMary, now 
Mrs. P. Green; also four deceased. !Mr. and 
Mrs. Stringer and their entire family are niem- 
bers of the Catholic church. 



REV. MICHAEL FLOHR, priest of St. 
Patrick's parish, a pioneer of 1883, was born in 
Germany on October 29, 1857. He took a 
complete and thorough classical course of study 
at Cologne, then pursued the study of theology 
at Louvain, Belgium, graduating in 1880. In 
18S1 he emigrated to ^'ancouver, Washington, 
to assume charge of the missions there located, 
and two years later he came to Walla Walla, 
where he has ever since resided. During the 
seventeen years of his pastorate here Father 
Flohr has labored untiringly for the spiritual 
and educational welfare of his parishioners, 
winning their affections, and exerting a power- 
ful influence for their upbuilding in all that is 
hiffhest and best. His task is by no means a 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



3-3 



liglit one, he having full charge of all the 
Catholic schools, hospitals and churches in the 
■county. 



ROBERT KENNEDY.— It is a matter of 
gratification that we are enabled to incorporate 
in this compilation a review of the salient points 
in the career of Mr. Kennedy, who stands forth 
as one of the leading agriculturists and repre- 
sentative citizens of Walla Walla county, his 
fine farm being located two and one-half miles 
east of tlie city of Walla Walla. In tracing 
the lineage of Mr. Kennedy we fi.nd that he is 
a native of Indiana, having been born in Rush 
county, that state, in the year 1830. He was, 
however, but three years of age when his par- 
ents removed to the state of Illinois, where he 
grew to maturity under the invigorating dis- 
cipline of the farm, receiving such educational 
ad\-antages as were afforded by the common 
schools. He continued to be there identified 
with agricultural pursuits until 1852, when, at 
the age of twenty-two years, he determined ro 
assume the responsibilities of life and to carve 
out an individual career, being fortified by due 
confidence in his powers and by an earnest de- 
sire to win a success worthy the name. In the 
year mentioned LIr. Kennedy secured an ox- 
team equipment and started on the long and 
weary journey across the plains and mountains 
to the Pacific coast, his destination being the 
Willamette valley of Oregon, where he arrived 
after a tedious journey of six months' dura- 
tion. In this famed and beautiful valley he 
was engaged in farming pursuits until 1859, 
when he decided to locate in the even more at- 
tractive valley of Walla Walla, east of the Cas- 
cades. After arriving in \\'alla Walla he dis- 
posed of his property in Oregon. After look- 
ing about for a time he finally secured by pre- 



emption a claim of one hundred and sixty acres, 
upon which a part of the present city of Waits- 
burg is now located. This claim, however. 
Mr. Kennedy disposed of before he had per- 
fected his title to the same, the land at the time 
having been unsurveyed. In the meanwhile 
he had taken a claim of one hundred and sixty 
acres on Dry creek, and after the surrounding 
land had been put on the market he purchased 
Jidditional tracts contiguous to his original 
property and eventually became the owner of 
five hundred and forty acres, all in one body. 
He continued to engage in the cultivation and 
improvement of this place until 1881, when he 
sold the farm. 

As early as the centennial year, 1876, how- 
ever, he had bought a section of land two and 
one-half miles east of Walla Walla, and upon 
this place he located after disposing of his Dry 
creek ranch, and here he has since maintained 
his home, the ranch being recognized as one 
of the best in this favored section of the great 
state of W^ashington. The place is principally 
given up to the raising of the great staple 
product of this section, — wheat. — and boun- 
teous harvests reward the well directed and 
indefatigable efforts of this representative hus- 
bandman. In addition to the homestead Mr. 
Kennedy owns a section of land near Lacrosse, 
Whitman county, and also one hundred and 
sixty acres of timber land in the mountains. Jn 
the year 1881 Mr. Kennedy built two store 
buildings in the city of Walla Walla, eventually 
disposing of these properties. He still owns 
two dwelling houses in the city. He is known 
as one of the substantial men of the county, 
enjoying the respect and confidence of the com- 
munity by reason of his integrity and sterling 
worth of character. In the early days, when 
Indian depredations were frequent and lawles.s- 
ncss prevailed to a greater or less extent, Mr. 



324 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Kennedy Ixire his part in the maintenance of 
law and order, being notably a participant in 
the Rogue river war. 

In the year 1868, in the Wilhunette valley, 
Oregon, was celebrated the marriage of }^Ir. 
Kennedy to Miss Annie Smith, and they be- 
came the parents of three children, — Edward 
A., who died May 31, 1900; Kate; and Lewis 
L. Tile death of Mrs. Kennedy occurred on 
the Tith of October, 1877, and on- the loth 
of December, 1879, in Windsor, Illinois, our 
subject consummated a second union, being 
then married to ^Irs. [Margaret W. Dennison, 
a native of the Old Dominion state of Vir- 
ginia. Of this union seven children have been 
born: Rebecca A., the wife of Richard E. 
Stafford; Martha B.. Robert P., Edna E., 
William B., Benjamin H. and Edith M. 



FRANCIS M. LOWDEN, a farmer and 
stock raiser, a pioneer of 1862, was born in 
Boone county, Kentucky. February 7. 1832. 
He resided there and in Brown county. Illinois, 
until 1849, then crossed the plains on horse- 
back in a party of four, the travelers conveying 
their effects in a light wagon drawn by four 
horses. He went to Sacramentu, thence to 
Downieville, where he followed placer mining 
for a season, thence to Nevada City. In the 
fall of 185 1 he returned to Sacramento, in- 
vested the proceeds of his successful mining 
ventures in mules, and engaged in packing, a 
business to which his energies were given for 
the ensuing twenty-one years. His train con- 
veyed freight into various parts of California, 
Nevada, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Mon- 
tana. He was frequently in grave danger of 
losing his mules on account of the hostile bands 
of Indians, who were on marauding expedi- 



tions throughout the country, but by dint of 
continual watchfulness he managed to avoid 
loss, standing guard himself, never trusting 
hired help for this duty and never allowing 
fires to lie built near the herd. 

In 1878 Mr. Lowden sold his packing out- 
fit, settled between Walla Walla and Wallula, 
and engaged in the business of raising and 
dealing in cattle. In 1880 he lost about ninety 
per cent, of his herds, but he. nevertheless, 
came to this valley, where he already had some 
property, and bought up about five thousand 
acres, with a view to engaging in the business 
again on a large scale. By means of ditches 
he brought water into every field of this vast 
tract, and before long he had an excellent stock 
ranch. This land is still in the family, being 
cnvned hy the Lowden Company, a firm in- 
corporated for the purpose of rearing cattle, . 
horses, sheep and hogs. They have imported 
many costly thoroughbreds, sparing no expense 
in the effort to secure the best stock. 

Mr. Lowden has been a very active, enter- 
prising man, possessed of the courage, fortitude 
and resourcefulness characteristic of the true 
pioneer, and of a degree of business ability 
seldom given to men. Notwithstanding his 
large private interests he has always found 
time to perform well his duties as a citizen 
and member of society. He served as county 
commissioner for seven years, was a member 
of the State Penitentiary Board, which built 
the third wing and the outbuildings, stables, 
etc., of the penitentiary, and in spite of oppo- 
sition succeeded, with the help of others, in 
building a jute mill here and making it a suc- 
cess. He has also discharged his duty to the 
cause of education by serving as director for 
ten years. His fraternal affiliations are with 
\\'alla Walla Lodge, No. 7, F. cS: A. M. He 
was married in May, 1868, to Miss Mary E. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



325 



Noon, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, 
reared in California. They have three chil- 
dren : Marshall J., president and business man- 
ager of the firm; Francis M.. Jr., stock man- 
ager ; and Hettie Irene, with her parents. 



JOHN \y. DAULTON, a farmer on the 
Walla Walla river, eleven miles west of Walla 
Walla, was born in Pulaski county, Kentucky, 
January 10, 1866. He, however, spent the 
greater portion of his early youth in Clinton 
county, Missouri, whither he had been taken 
by his parents when four years old. He at- 
tended school until sixteen years old, then went 
with the remainder of his family to Cherokee 
county, Kansas, where he farmed with his fa- 
ther for three years. For the next half decade 
he worked for wages throughout the various 
surrounding counties, but in 1890 he removed 
to LTmatilla county, Oregon, where for about 
two years he continued to work as a farm hand. 

In 1892, however, Mr. Daulton filed on a 
homestead and started to improve a place for 
himself, but in 1894 he commuted this into a 
pre-emption, sold out and came to the Walla 
^Valla valley. He purchased sixty-seven acres 
of hay land, upon which he has ever since re- 
sided, and in 1900 he bought a quarter-section 
of wheat land also. He is an enterprising and 
successful farmer, and his standing in the com- 
m.unity as a man and a citizen is of the highest. 
In fraternal affiliations he is identified with the 
Modern Woodmen of America, Mountain View 
Camp, No. 5096, of this city. In the city of 
Walla Walla on February 17, 1895, he mar- 
ried Mrs. Amy E. Vanderburgh, a native of 
Oregon, whose parents, Harris and Mary Dent, 
were pioneers of that state. 



ORLANDER W. HARTNESS.— This re- 
spected pioneer of the county was born in Mon- 
roe county, Indiana, May 15, 1835. When a 
boy of seven years he went with his parents to 
Washington county, Iowa, whence, shortly aft- 
erwards, he removed to Monroe county, same 
state, where the greater portion of his educa- 
tional discipline was obtained and where he 
met and married Miss Mary Wilson, their 
union being solemnized on inauguration day, 
1858. Leaving Iowa in 1864, the subject of 
this review, accompanied by his wife, set out 
to find a home in the new and wild west. He 
arrived in the Walla Walla valley the same 
year and took a homestead of one hundred and 
sixty acres, to which he added se\-eral hun- 
dred acres procured by purchase later on. 

On the original homestead he continued to 
reside uninterruptedly until about fourteen 
years ago, his occupation being farming and 
stock raising, combined with the more dan- 
gerous business of freighting. In those days 
he met with many adventures with Indians and' 
several times narrowly escaped being roblied or 
killed by road agents, as they were called, the: 
term having the same significance as highway- 
men. 

In 1886 Mr. Hartness sold his entire hold- 
ings in the valley and moved into the city of 
W'alla \\'alla, where he engaged in the grocery 
business, stock dealing and also to some extent 
in mining. His energies were devoted to these 
varied industries until the beginning of 1900, 
when he again sold out his possessions, this 
time investing a part of the proceeds in a 
small tract of land just outside the city, upon 
which he is at present erecting a commodious 
and comfortable dwelling, in which he and his 
life jjartner hope to enjoy many years of life. 
Though fi\e children have been born in the 
Hartness household, onlv one, Franke E., still 



3:6 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



survives, the other four having passed away in 
infancy. Their living daughter is now the wife 
ot Samuel lams. It may be of interest to men- 
tion in this connection that ]\Ir. and Mrs. Hart- 
ness have journeyed together through life for 
almost forty-three years. Both are members 
of the Cumberland Presbyterian church of 
Walla \\'alla. 

Though our subject is a very public-spirited 
man, ever ready to assist with his means any 
commendable enterprise of general utility, he 
is not ambitious for leadership in politics, local 
or national, and has steadfastly refused to take 
an acti\e part in any of the campaigns, even 
though urgently solicited by his friends so to 
do. It is a pleasure, however, to be able to 
add witli truth that in all his relations with his 
fellow men, whether in business or in society, 
his life has been so ordered as to win and re- 
tain the Ciinfidence and esteem of all. 



ZEBULOX K. STRAIGHT, jeweler, a 
pioneer of 1870. was 1x)rn in Wayne county, 
New York, in 1840. In 1846 the family moved 
to Wisconsin, and there Mr. Straight lived un- 
til twenty years of age, acquiring such educa- 
tion as a frontier log schoolhouse afforded. 
He then went to Alinnescta. learned the jewelry 
business, and for eight years followed it as an 
occupation. On June 4, 1870, our subject 
landed in Walla Walla, where he opened the 
only jewelry store in the then territory of 
Washington, which has continued in business 
constantly ever since. With remarkable per- 
tinacity he has devoted himself to his handi- 
craft in tlie same city for over thirty years, 
and his hand has the skill and cunning, and 
his judgment the splendid development which 
we would naturally expect from such concen- 
tration. 



Mr. Straight is not. however, a narrow or 
one-sided man, but has always taken a lively and 
intelligent interest in the welfare of the city, 
and ever proved himself an efficient force in 
the promotion of its best interests. He was 
one of the original organizers of the Farmers' 
Savings bank, has served as a director in that 
institution, and stHl retains an interest in it. 
For two terms, also, he was a member of the 
\\'alla Walla city council. But his influence in 
politics is not circumscribed by the limits of his 
city or county. He was elected a member of 
the first state legislature, so that upon his 
shoulders fell the responsibility of participating 
in laying the foundation of our state govern- 
ment. In politics, in business, and in private 
life alike, he has proved himself a trustworthy 
and reliable man, and lie has the confidence and 
esteem of all. 

Ever since 186S Mr. Straight has been 
identified with the Masonic fraternity, in which 
he is quite a leader. In Walla Walla, during 
the month of April, 1871, he married ilrs. 
Alexander, who crossed the plains as a child 
in 1853, accompanying her parents, Mr. and 
Mrs. B. Robinson. Her father became a prom- 
inent man in the early days of Oregon, serv- 
ing one term in its state legislature. 'Mr. and 
^Irs. Straight have two children : ^laud, 
widow of Frank Foster; and Zeno K., clerk in 
the store of Kyger & Foster, and business man- 
ager for his sister, Mrs. Foster. Mrs. Straight 
also has one daughter, .\della, by her marriage 
with ^Ir. Alexander. 



HENRY S. BL.VNDFORD. city attorney, 
Walla ^^'alla, wliose connection with the city 
dates back to 1885, was born in Maryland, in 
1862, and in that state he was reared and edu- 
cated. He came west in the United States 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



327 



Signal Service, about 1881, to take charge of 
a station on a military telegraph line. In 1885 
he was sent to Walla Walla for the purpose 
of establishing a weather bureau there, and 
the care of that bureau occupied his attention 
until 1890. He was, however, ambitious to 
become a lawyer, and accordingly devoted all 
his spare time assiduously to the study of that 
profession, with the result that in 1890 he was 
admitted to the bar. He then began what has 
proved to be a very successful career, for he 
is now and for some years has been considered 
one of the leading attorneys of Walla Walla 
county. 

In political matters also Mr. Blandford is 
a leader. He was one of the delegates sent 
from the state of Washington in 1892 to the 
first National Democratic convention held after 
the territory was admitted to statehood, and he 
was the candidate of his parj:y for the joint 
senatorship of the senatorial district including 
Adams, Franklin and part of Walla Walla 
counties, but was defeated by John L. Roberts. 
He has always been awake to the best inter- 
ests of his home city, and was especially active 
in securing the water works and sewer system, 
which are now being successfully operated. In 
1897 'is ^^''is elected city attorney of the city 
of Walla Walla, wliich incumbency he still 
holds, and the duties of which he is very 
creditably discharging. Mr. Blandford mar- 
ried, in 1895, jNIarguerite Welch, a native of 
Walla Walla, and they are the parents of two 
sons, Joseph Harold and John S. 



where he learned the trade of a wagon-maker, 
As early as 1849 '^e crossed the plains to San 
Francisco, and in that city he pursued his trade 
for a number of years. He at length went 
back to his home in St. Louis and engaged in 
the manufacture of trunks, etc. Subsequently 
returning west he went into the mining regions 
of Montana, Idaho anl British Columbia, 
where a number of years of his life were passed. 

Coming to Walla ^^'alla in 1868 he there 
resumed his trade, also devoting a portion of 
his time to the erection of some of the first fine 
buildings of the city. He afterward engaged 
in wagon-making on his own account, con- 
tinuing in the same until 1891, when he erected 
the Star bakery. That completed he went into 
a well-earned retirement, which lasted until the 
date of his death, February 19, 1896. Relig- 
iously he was identified with the Roman Cath- 
olic church. On November 6, 1872, he mar- 
ried Sarah A. Mosier, a native of Missouri, 
and they became the parents of two children, 
Annie J. and Geoffrey J. 

Mrs. Faucette is a daughter of John H. 
Mosier, one of the early pioneers of Oregon, 
and one who was quite prominent in the po- 
litical history of that state, having once served 
as representative from his district. The Jour 
<le Mosier was built on his farm and named 
in his honor. He died in The Dalles, Oregon, 
in 1894. 



JOHN FAUCETTE, deceased, a pioneer 
of 1868, was a native of Galena, Illinois, born 
October 6, 1831. When about fourteen he 
moved with his parents to St. Louis, Missouri, 



WILLIA:M a. KOONTZ.— Prominently 
identified with a line of enterprise of great im- 
portance to the traveling public, the subject 
of this article merits specific recognition in a 
compilation which has to do with the repre- 
sentative citizens of Walla Walla countv. He 
is a native of the state of Ohio, born on the 3d 
day of January. 1857. He received a part of 



328 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



his early educational training in the puhlic 
school there, but at the early age of twelve years 
left his father's home and started out to make 
his way in life, turning his steps toward the 
west. 

He soon arrived in San Francisco, Cali- 
fornia, where he only remained about one 
month, afterward locating in \\'aitsburg, this 
county, of which he was a resident for eight- 
een months. He then went to \\'eston, Ore- 
gon, and passed the next year, going thence to 
Baker City, where he spent two years. Dur- 
ing this time he worked at whatever he could 
best succeed in, spending all of his spare time 
in study, and finally taking a course in the Will- 
amette University. His headquarters thereafter 
were at Umatilla, Oregon, until the year of 
1878. but in July of that year he was appointed 
by the government to carry dispatches under 
General IMiles during the Snake and Bannock 
Indian wars. 

At the close of hostilities he went to Golden- 
dale. Washington, where he was again em- 
ployed bv the government as one of a survey- 
ing party. He afterward acted as superintend- 
ent of a lumber mill, but finally was appointed 
as deputy sheriff, and served in that capacity for 
one term. He tlien took up his alwde in Ta- 
coma. where he engaged in the grocery busi- 
ness, carrying on the same successfully until 
1884, when he sold out and returned to Walla 
Walla, to accept a position as foreman of track 
building on the O. R. & X. R. R. Later he 
became superintendent of its buildings and 
bridges. 

In 1897 he went to British Columbia, where 
for fourteen months he gave his attention to 
carpentering and mining, after which he re- 
turned to Walla \Valla, where we now find him 
in charge of the Palace hotel. To those whose 
names appear on the register of that hostelry 



he extends such hospitality as makes every 
guest his friend. His ix)pularity as a first-class 
hotel man has secured for the house such an 
abundant patronage that he has been forced to 
annex several of the near-by rooming blocks in 
order to accommodate his increasing trade. He 
now controls no less than five large buildings, 
in which he maintains between one and two 
hundred guest chambers. 

Endowed with intellectuality and discrim- 
irating judgment. Mr. Koontz has shown a 
constant interest in affairs of public nature, 
several times serving as delegate to state con- 
ventions while in Oregon, and again in this state 
in 1900. His standing in business and social 
circles, indicative of his personal popularity, 
is also shown in fraternal organizations, he 
being at the present time acting noble grand in 
Trinity Lodge. I. O. O. F.. and treasurer of 
\\'alla Walla Encampment, which office he has 
held for several terms. He is also one of the 
managers in the \\'oodmen. and is supreme 
outer guard in the Order of Washington. He 
was married, on April 13. 1885. to ]\Iiss Emma 
Symons, a native of Minnesota, and they are 
the parents of one child, Edith Mary. 



WILLIAM C. PAINTER.— Walla Walla 
county may well be proud of the number of 
men of spotless integrity and sterling character 
who have been attracted to its territory, and of 
the part these have borne in the afifairs of coun- 
ty, state and nation. Dr. ]\Iarcus Whitman is 
of course the brightest star in the constellation 
of Walla Walla valley heroes, but around him 
cluster a great number of stars of but little less 
magnitude, who in their own spheres and en- 
vironment were equally entitled to a rank 
among heroic men. The man whose name 




WM. C. PAINTEK. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



329 



initiates this brief and necessarily incomplete 
review was one in whose life and career the 
county and state may find reasonable cause for 
exultation. Mr. Painter's title to be long re- 
membered by the people of the state of Wash- 
ington in general and of Walla Walla and 
vicinity in particular rests not so much upon his 
achievements in advancing the material inter- 
ests of his community, though they were very 
considerable, nor upon his political record, 
though that was a clean one and of no little 
importance, but rather upon the pure and lofty 
patriotism which formed the dominating trait 
of his character, and upon the work wliich tiiat 
ennobling sentiment led him to accomplish. 

Mr. Painter was born in the old French 
settlement of St. Genevieve, St. Genevieve 
county, Missouri, April 18, 1830, and there the 
earliest years of his life were passed. His fa- 
ther was a member of the Painter family of 
Mercer county, Pennsylvania, and his mother 
was Jean (Moore) Painter, daughter of Major 
Robert Moore, a veteran of the war of 181 2, 
and well known in the early history of Oregon. 
In 1850 his father and the family started for 
Oregon, but when the Little Blue river was 
reached the head of the family and two of the 
sons succumbed to cholera, and the mother and 
surviving children continued their journey 
westward with sore hearts. They finally came 
to a halt in Washington county, Oregon, where 
donation land claims were secured, and where 
William C. lived until 1863. When the Indian 
war of 1855 Ijroke out, Mr. Painter was one of 
the first to enlist, becoming a member of Com- 
pany D. First Oregon Mounted Volunteers, 
wlhcli, it will be remembered, fought the In- 
dians for four days near Walla Walla city, 
finally routing the redskins, who retreated to 
the Palouse country. In this and many other 
fights of that war, Mr. Painter distinguished 



himself for coolness and bravery. He con- 
tinued to follow the fortunes of his company 
and to share its hardships and dangers until the 
close of hostilities. In 1855 certain young 
ladies of Forest Grove Academy (now Tualatin 
Academy and Pacific University) presented the 
company with a flag; comrades in arms voted 
that Mr. Painter should become its bearer; it 
finally came into his exclusive possession and 
is still carefully preserved in the Painter house- 
hold as a family relic and heirloom. The flag 
was designed by Dr. S. H. Marsh, first presi- 
dent of Pacific University, and "Grandma" 
Tabitha Brown, one of the founders of that 
institution, and was executed by Misses Jane 
Kinney, Sarah A. Ross, Caroline Brown, ]\Iary 
J Stott, Mary McGhee, Jane Robinson, IMary 
Ellen Reed, Georgia Reed, Ellen Robinson, 
Gus. Mulkey (now wife of U. S. Senator J. 
N. Dolph) and Mrs. Kitchen. It has only 
twenty-one stars, and upon its field in large let- 
ters are inscribed the words, "Co. D, First 
Oregon Volls. 1855-6." In the war against 
the Bannock and Pah Ute Indians in 1878, Mr. 
Painter again assumed the role of the Indian 
fighter. Governor Ferry appointed him captain 
of a company of forty-two men, and he was 
assigned to duty on the gunboat Spokane, un- 
der command of Major Cress of the regular 
army. The first engagement in which he partic- 
ipated was at Long Island in the Columbia 
river below Umatilla, in which the whites were 
successful. Major Cress, in a letter written to 
]\Ir. Painter from Jefferson Barracks, Mis- 
souri, dated April 15, 1897, speaks very flat- 
teringly of the assistance rendered him by Colo- 
nel Painter. After tliis engagement, in recog- 
nition of his \-ery valuable services, our sub- 
ject was made aid-de-camp on the staff of Gov- 
ernor Ferry with the rank of lieutenant-colonel 
and placed in command of fifty-two men. He 



330 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



was sent to eastern Oregon to assist in defend- 
ing tlie people of that region against tlie on- 
slaughts of the Lidians recently defeated 
by General O. O. Howard, and passed 
south of the retreating bands to Camas 
Prairie with a view to intercepting their 
retreat. The hostiles.' being advised of his 
position, got around him by a circuitous 
route and escaped, but the colonel brought 
back with him to Walla W^alla captured 
horses enough to pay the entire expense of his 
command. Although no battle was fought in 
this campaign, it was considered so hazardous 
that an offer of ten dollars per day for guides 
was not sufficient to induce any to run the risk. 
Li his official report. General O. O. Howard, 
quoting Captain John A. Cress, says : "Captain 
Charles Painter and the forty-two volunteers 
from Walla Walla deserve praise for good con- 
duct and bravery, not excepting my Vancouver 
regulars and Captain Gray with officers and 
crew of the steamer Spokane, who stood firmly 
at their posts under fire." 

But to return to the more ordinary pursuits 
of life, picking up the thread of the narrative 
with Mr. Painter's advent into Walla Walla 
county in 1863, w6 have to record that for four 
years from that date he was a clerk in the 
employ of Flanders & Felton. of Wallula. 
When the senior member of that firm was elect- 
ed to congress in 1867, Mr. Painter took 
charge of the business, becoming also post- 
master at that point and the agent of the Wells 
Fargo Express Company. Eventually he re- 
moved to Walla Walla, that he might the better 
discharge the duties of an important position, 
that of deputy collector of internal revenue for 
eastern \\'ashington, to which he had been ap- 
pointed. He resigned this deputyship in No- 
vember, 1870, but his resignation was not ac- 



cepted until the following May. After retir- 
ing from the position, he made some unfor- 
tunate investments in mill property, the result 
of which was that he found himself at the foot 
of the financial ladder, but his courage and force 
made him master of the situation. He went 
cheerfully to work and continued a wage-earner 
until 1S76, when fortune again favored him and 
he was appointed receiver of the United States 
land office. This position he retained until 
September, 1878, and in November of that 
year he was elected to the office of county audi- 
tor. So faithful and efficient were his services 
that the electors retained him as their choice 
for that office for four consecutive terms. 
Speaking of his final retirement, the Waits- 
burg Times of March 11, 1887, says: "After 
filling the office of county auditor for four con- 
secutive terms and giving better satisfaction 
than any of his predecessors — in fact making 
the best auditor Walla Walla county ever had 
— W. C. Painter steps out with clean hands and 
a good record to make room for L. B. Hawley, 
a Walla Walla bred young man fully capable 
of the duties of his office." The Walla Walla 
Statesman of the same date has this to say con- 
cerning him : "Auditor Painter has given up 
the office of auditor of Walla Walla county, 
that he has held so many years. As a Repub- 
lican he has proved capable, efficient and hon- 
est, and has been very instrumental in saving 
the country from being imposed upon on nu- 
merous occasions. We do not candidly believe 
that a dishonest dollar has stuck to his fingers 
in all the years of his administration. He has 
been particular to a fault, but goes out of office 
with the rcjiutation of being an honest man. 
"Well done, thou good and faithful servant; 
thiou hast been faithful over a few things, I 
will make thee ruler over many things.' " 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



331 



L^pon retiring from the ccainty service, Mr. 
Painter devoted his attention to farming his 
fifteen-hundred-acre ranch on Eureka flat, 
though he continued to reside in the old home 
on South Third street, where tlie family still 
live. Farming was his occupation until about 
two years before his death. 

It is recorded that every public demonstra- 
tion of a patriotic nature saw ]\Ir. Painter 
somewhere in the lead with his battlcTScarred 
Indian war flag. When the volunteers went to 
the Philippines, when they returned, on Mem- 
orial day and other similar occasions, he and 
liis flag were in evidence, and should he be de- 
tained by any cause from participation in any 
sixh celebration, it was a sore disappointment 
tc all. His patriotic sentiments led him to 
take a prominent part in the Pioneer Associa- 
tion of Oregon and he always made a special 
efl'ort to be present at ever}^ meeting of the 
organization. He was also active in the 
Indian War Veterans, of which he was first 
grand commander, and he belonged for years 
to the A. O. U. W. In politics, he was a stanch 
Republican, prominent in the councils of that 
party and an important factor in the political 
affairs of eastern Washington. 

On January 7, 1864, Mr. Painter was mar- 
rierl to Miss Caroline Mitchell, the only daugh- 
ter of Judge T. ]\Iitchell, of Multnomah county, 
Oregon, and their children are Philip M., de- 
ceased, Joseph E., Charles S., Maude M., Har- 
rie M., Bonnie Jean, Marguerite M., Roy R., 
Rex M., Caroline M., and Bruce I. 

Mr. Painter died of paralysis December 4, 
1900. Pie was a pioneer, a soldier, a western 
nobleman — above all he was a true friend. 
During all that time when the crude model na- 
ture made was being remoulded and recast as 
the demands of progress and civilization dic- 
tated that it must, he was known throughout 



all the great northwest as the personification 
of loyalty and honor. In the memory of his 
friends, and he had many, he will live forever. 



MEREDITH E. STEWART, a farmer on 
Mill creek, four and a half miles west of Walla 
Walla, a pioneer of 1881, w'as born in Win- 
chester, Virginia, on October 25, 1862. He 
was early taken by his parents to Greenton, 
Missouri, where his father followed the trade 
of a stonemason for a few years. Later, how- 
ever, the family removed to Topeka, Kansas, 
and in that city Mr. Stewart completed his 
education. He came west with the remainder 
of his family in 1881, traveling overland, and 
upon arrival in this valley rented a farm and 
started raising hay on Dry creek. 

But after a brief residence here Air. Stewart 
removed to Umatilla county, Oregon, pur- 
chased land and again engaged in farming. 
He was there three and a half years, then re- 
turned to Walla Walla, rented another farm 
and remained upon it continuously until 1897, 
when he purchased the place upon which he 
now resides. He also has a homestead eleven 
miles wpst of Walla Walla, taken by him in 
189S, and he is raising wheat upon this claim, 
while the fifty-five acres on Mill creek, his place 
of residence at present, are farmed to hay and 
fruit. 

Mr. Stewart is an industrious, enterprising 
man, an obliging neighbor and a good citizen, 
and he enjoys the respect and good will of all. 
Fraternally he affiliates with the Modern 
Woodmen of America, Mountain View Lodge, 
No. 5096, of Walla Walla. Pie was married 
in this county, on February 26, 1890, to Miss 
Emma Ewing, a native of ^^'^alla Walla, daugh- 
ter of pioneer parents. They have two chil- 



332 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



dren, Harry E. and Pearl E. Mr. Stewart's 
father. William Stewart, who crossed the plains 
with him in the Toi)eka "Washington Colony," 
went on with the rest of the party to Puget 
Sound, but he has not been heard from since 
the first year after his arrival there, despite the 
fact that his son Meredith has tried several 
times to locate him. 

Mrs. Stewart's father, Washington M. 
Ewlng. who arrived in this valley in 1862, 
died at Waitsburg on February 10. 1883. Her 
mother contracted a second marriage, in Walla 
Walla, on June i, 1884, becoming the wife of 
Frederick Thiel, of Drv creek. 



FRANK FOSTER, deceased.— Among 
those whom industry, force of character and 
unswerving faithfulness to the duties in hand 
have placed in the forefront among successful 
business men. the subject of this brief bio- 
grai)]iical outline has merited a rank of great 
prominence, for his life is an exemplification 
of what can be accomplished by one who pos- 
sesses these qualities combined with natural 
aptitude for commercial pursuits. Mr. Foster 
was a son of the Pacific coast, his eyes having 
first opened to the light of day in The Dalles, 
Oregon, on November 15, i860. He was, how- 
ever, early taken by his parents to Fort Simcoe, 
ii Yakima county, where he resided until nine 
years old, and where he took the initial steps 
in the pursuit of a liberal education. He then 
accompanied his parents to Walla Walla, in 
the public schools of which city he spent sev- 
eral years more. 

\\'hen he became sixteen years old he en- 
tered the dry goods store of Johnson, Rees & 
\\^inans, and so faithful was he to every trust, 
and so frugal of the wages he received, that 



before he was thirt}' years of age he was the 
owner of a half interest in the business. A 
short time after he first became connected with 
the establishment his father bought the interest 
of Mr. Johnson, and the firm name was changed 
to Rees, Winans & Company. In 1889 U. T. 
Kyger bought out the entire business, but be- 
fore the year was passed Mr. Foster l)ecame 
the owner of a half interest, and the firm was 
styled Kyger & Foster. The industry and 
faithfulness which had enabled him to achieve 
tliis success, together with the mastery of de- 
tails and knowledge of the minutiae of the busi- 
ness acquired concomitantly, made him master 
of the situation when the proprietor's respon- 
sibility was placed upon his shoulders, and the 
establishment continued to prosper and to yield 
gratifying returns. 

I\Ir. Foster was also ambitious to acquire 
farm lands, and at the time of his death his 
real estate holdings consisted of four hundred 
acres about eight miles north of Walla Walla, 
a quarter-section of land in L'matilla county. 
Oregon, and forty acres of timber land in the 
m.ountains. lie also had a fine home on Cath- 
erine street, Walla Walla. 

In all the relations of life, and in all his 
dealings and associations with his fellow men, 
Mr. Foster's conduct was such as to win for 
him the respect and esteem of those with whom 
lie came in contact, and his untimely death, 
which occurred I''el)ruary 23. 1900, was re- 
garded by hundreds of our citizens as a distinct 
personal loss, as well as a great loss to the 
community in general. 

]\Ir. Foster's marriage was solemnized in 
Walla Walla. January 10. 1894, the lady of his 
choice being Miss Maud Straight, a native of 
the county, and a daughter of Z. K. Straight, 
a respected pioneer and a man who has followed 
the jewelry business continuously for a longer 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY, 



333 



period of time in the state of. Washington than 
has any other man. Of this marriage one 
child, Artlnn- Straight, was born. 

Mrs. Foster still owns the business inter- 
ests which her husband had at tlie time of his 
demise, and employs her brother, Zeno Straight, 
tC' assist her in the management of these in- 
terests. 



JESSE DRUMHELLER, a pioneer of 
1852, was born in Tennessee, in 1835, and 
there the first eight years of his life were 
passed. He then went with his parents to Mis- 
souri, locating near Springfield, where he lived 
until 185 1. For about a year afterwards he 
resided in Savannah, Missouri, but in 1852 he 
set out across the plains to Washington with 
ox-teams. He located in Cowlitz county, and 
turned his attention to the lumber industry, but 
soon moved to California, where for several 
years he followed mining. In 1855 he came 
to Oregon, joined the Oregon volunteers and 
was sent to Walla Walla. During his eleven 
months' service he participated in several severe 
engagements with the Indians. 

After the cessation of hostilities Mr. Drum- 
heller entered the service of the United States 
government, and assisted in building the gov- 
ernment posts at Tlie Dalles, Walla Walla, Col- 
ville and Simcoe. In 1859 he located on land 
two miles south of the city of Walla Walla, 
and embarked in stock raising and general 
farming, a business which has engaged his en- 
ergies ever since until f|uite recently. Being 
an active, enterprising and progressive man, 
of the wealthiest and most influential farmers 
of the wealthiest and most influential farmers 
of the county. He is the owner of nearly si.K 
thousand acres of land, and in 1899 his crop 
of wheat amounted to about si.xty-fivc thou- 



sand bushels. Mr. Drumheller's fraternal con- 
nection is with the Masonic order. Blue Moun- 
tain Lodge, No. 13, and the Royal Arch. He 
was married in Walla Walla, October 8, 1863, 
to Martha A. Maxson, a pioneer of 1859. They 
have six living children: Samuel, a farmer; 
Oscar and Thomas J., hardware merchants; 
George, a farmer and stockman; Althea and 

Roscoe M. 

Mr. Drumheller has taken up his residence 
ir Walla Walla city, where we now find him 
living a retired life and enjoying the fruits of 
his well-deserved success. 



WILLIAM S. SMITH, deceased.— Al- 
though but thirty-one years of age when sum- 
moned to depart this life, the subject of this 
Ijrief memoir had already achieved a degree of 
success in the commercial world not often at- 
tained by men twice his years, and had won for 
himself a place in the confidence of those with 
v.-hom he had 1)usiness connections and in the 
esteem and respect of the community in which 
he lived that might well be the envy of much 
older men. Born in Clinton, Prince Edward 
Island, Canada, on January 7, 1866, he received 
the benefit of the excellent public-school system 
there established, and passed his youth under 
most advantageous surroundings. 

Upon leaving school he engaged with his 
father in the flour mill industry, following that 
until he had attained his majority, but he 
thereupon removed to New Westminster, Brit- 
ish Columbia, where for about two years he 
worked as a sawyer in a sawmill. 

At the end of that time Mr. Smith removed 
to the Walla Walla valley, arriving in 1889, 
and before long his mechanical abilities were 
discovered by H. P. Isaacs, who was in need 



334 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



o<^ just such a man and who gave him a place 
in his flour mill in Walla Walla. Air. Isaacs 
afterwards sent him to take charge of another 
plant located at Prescott, but he had become 
desirous of iryiu!? his hand at farming, so, in 
1890, disposed of a place on Eureka flat which 
he already had bought, and purchased a farm 
at the junction of Mill creek with the Walla 
Walla river. From that time until the date of 
his death his energies were for the most part 
given to the cultivation and improvement of 
this land, though he also held the position of 
agent for the Pacific Coast Elevator Company 
at Whitman station. He was active, indus- 
trious, assiduous and iwssessed a force of char- 
acter which, combined with his splendid in- 
herent abilities, made him a success in any line 
of enterprise in which he might engage. 

The manner of our subject's demise was 
rather peculiar and merits a brief narration. 
He had returned home to Prince Edward Island 
on a visit to his relatives, and appeared to be 
enjoying his usual good health. He retired 
on the 6th of May, 1897, without making any 
complaint or giving any sign that anything was 
the matter, but on the morning of the 7th he 
failed to rise at the usual hour and examina- 
tion proved that he had died in his bed some 
time during the night. Upon learning the sad 
news j\Irs. Smith with her little daughter at 
once set out on the long journey and arrived 
in time to see his remains interred in the Mar- 
gate cemetery, which was the old family bury- 
ing ground. 

In 1887 ]\Ir. Smith married, in Charlotte- 
town, Prince Edward Island, Miss ]\Iargaret 
J. Gunn, a native of the island and one of his 
boyhood friends. They became the parents of 
one daughter. Emma M. 

Mrs. Smith was left with a fine farm of 
four hundred and seventy-four acres, also with 



a tract of eleven hundred acres in Adams coun- 
ty. She sold the latter tract, but still retains 
the old home place at the confluence of Mill 
creek and the Walla Walla river. With the 
help of her l)rother, who acts as foreman, she 
farms this land together with about six hundred 
acres which she rents from other parties. She 
is an ambitious, enterprising lady, successful in 
whate\-er she undertakes, and possessed of the 
respect and esteem of a large circle of friends 
and acquaintances. 



BENJAMIN G. GUTHRIDGE.— Though 
now retired, the man whose life it is our task 
to here briefly review has been one of the prom- 
inent business men of the county for many 
years, and during the long period of his resi- 
dence here (for he has the honor of being a 
member of that respected class whom we call 
pioneers) he has so ordered his life and rela- 
tions with those with whom he has had deal- 
ings or connections, as to win and retain the 
confidence and regard of all. 

He was born in London, England, on June 
27, 1832, and in that land he remained until 
about fifteen years old, acquiring an elementary 
education. He then yielded to the adventurous 
spirit which was prompting him to seek ad- 
venture in other lands and embarked aboard a 
sailing vessel. His seafaring experience lasted 
about thirteen years, and finally terminated in 
a shipwreck on a bar in the Columbia river. 
From the scene of this disaster he went to 
Portland, arriving in 1861, and before the year 
was over he came thence to the Walla Walla 
valley. After a brief residence he removed to 
the Oro Fino mining region, where for two 
years he was engaged in the search for hidden 
treasure. Returning then to Walla Walla 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



335 



county, he utilized the trade lie liad learned in 
earlier life and engaged in the butcher busi- 
ness, but two years later he retired from this 
to try his hand in the restaurant business, tak- 
ing charge of what was known as the Donoval. 
He was thus engaged for about two and a half 
years, then returned to his meat market indus- 
try, which continued to engage his energies un- 
til April I, 1886, in which year he accepted a 
position as steward in the penitentiary, retain- 
ing the same for about two and a half years. 
On retiring from this he withdrew from active 
participation in the business activities of life. 
On November 26, 1866, in the city of 
\\'alla Walla, he married Helen Goss, a native 
of county Carlow, Ireland, born December 25, 
1832. She grew to womanhood before leav- 
ing her native land, but in 1857 came to Cali- 
fornia, whence she afterward removed to Walla 
Walla, where, on July 22, 1885, she died. Mr. 
and Mrs. Guthridge became the parents of two 
children: George W., now connected with the 
fire department of \^'alla Walla; and Ellen J., 
who, on April 22, 1900, became the wife of 
Alliert E. Guichard, of that city. 



JEFFERSON JENNINGS, a pioneer of 
1865, is a native of Iowa, born in 1856. When 
only eight years old he accompanied the re- 
mainder of the family on the long journey 
across the plains, traveling with ox-teams. 
They located in Walla Walla valley, and en- 
gaged in farming. Mr. Jennings received his 
edvication in the public schools and in Whitman 
College, then followed farming for about twelve 
years. 

Coming to the city of Walla Walla at the 
end of that period, he embarked in the grocery 
business, a line which engaged his energies for 



the ensuing six years. He then followed the 
insurance business a while, then went into the 
business of handling second hand furniture. 
He is now engaged with Mr. U. G. Bean, pro- 
prietor of one of the leading house furnishing 
stores in the city. Mr. Jennings also served 
a term on the police force and as constable, 
and has since been deputized for special service 
on several occasions. 

As a man and a citizen Mr. Jennings stands 
high in the community, enjoying the esteem 
and good will of all. His fraternal affiliations 
are with the I. O. O. F. and the Modern Wood- 
men of America, of the latter of which orders 
he is venerable consul. He has been twice 
married. In 1877 he wedded Sarah E. Cork- 
rum, and they became the parents of three chil- 
dren : Olive Belle and Mary Minerva, living, 
and Rose Frances, deceased. This Mrs. Jen- 
nings died in 1884, and in 18S6 Mr. Jennings 
married Miss Clara Buckner, who now has 
one child, Hazel. 



HUGH P. ESTES, dealer in cigars and 
tobacco, No. io}4 South Third street, is a na- 
tive of Arkansas, born December 11, 1S54. 
When six years old he accompanied his father 
on the long journey across the plains. They 
located on Dry creek, six miles north of Walla 
Walla, and there Mr. Estes grew to manhood, 
receiving such education as the primitive 
schools afforded. On reaching the age of eight- 
een he went to Oregon and, subsequently, en- 
gaged in stock raising. Returning to Walla 
Walla after three years' absence, he engaged in 
farming on Eureka flat, where his home was 
until 1898. In that year he sold his eight- 
hundred-acre farm and moved into town, in 
order to secure for his children the advantages 
of the citv schools. He has since given his 



336 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



attention to the line of business in which we 
now find him. 

Mr. Estes is considerably interested in 
Walla Walla real estate and is one of the 
stockholders in the Statesman; also still owns 
a farm and stock in Benton county, Oregon. 
He has long taken a very active interest in the 
political affairs of the county, and may well 
be ranked among its political leaders. As a 
man and a citizen he stands well wherever he 
has lived, enjoying the confidence and good 
will of all. In fraternal aftiliations he is an 
Odd Fellow. He was married in Walla Walla, 
December 25, 1882, to Aliss Alary Woods, a 
native of Missouri, and they have four chil- 
dren, Alertie, Hazel, Alabel and Lloyd. 

His father, Thomas Estes, deceased, a pio- 
neer of i860, W'as born in North Carolina, 
and in that state grew to manhood and was 
educated. On attaining his majority he re- 
moved to Tennessee, and while there he met 
and married his first wife. He subsequently 
went to Arkansas, where for a number of 
years he was engaged in tilling the soil. In 
i860 he set out across the plains to Washing- 
ton, and finally settled at Dry creek, where he 
lived about eighteen years, afterward moving 
to Walla Walla. After living a retired life 
there for several years he took up his abode on 
a farm on Eureka flat, and this continued to 
be his place of residence luitil August 20, 1886, 
when he died. 

Wliile in Arkansas he was married the sec- 
ond time, the lady being Miss Irene Alalone, 
a native of that state. Their union was blessed 
by the advent of thirteen children, ten of whom 
are still living, namely : Thomas, at Baker 
City: Hugh, whose name heads this article; L. 
W., a farmer: C. T.. a carpenter; Sydney, a 
miner : Xancy. wife of J. T. Wiseman ; Han- 
nah, wife of William Cope, of .Arkansas; Eliz- 



abeth; Sarah; and Irene, wife of Frank Gif- 
fons, of Ritzville. Airs. Estes died about two 
years after the decease of her husband. 



MICHAEL B. WARD.— In this compila- 
tion it is signally consistent that we incorpo- 
rate a brief review of the career of the honored 
pioneer whose name initiates this paragraph, 
and such a memoir can not but prove of inter- 
est to the readers of this volume. Air. Ward was 
a native of the old Buckeye state, born near 
Zanesville, Licking county, Ohio, on the nth of 
June. 1818. He remained in his native county 
until he was about nineteen years of age. when 
he accompanied his parents on their removal 
to Squaw Grove, DeKalb county, Illinois, where 
he continued his educational discipline and 
grew to maturity. He had grown up under the 
sturdy and invigorating discipline of the farm, 
and to the basic art of agriculture he contin- 
ued to devote his attention after attaining his 
majority, continuing on the paternal home- 
stead in Illinois until 1842, when he engaged 
in farming on his own responsibility, in the 
same county, his father having deeded him a 
quarter section, to which he added, by individ- 
ual purchase, another tract. 

He continued his operations in this line 
until 185 1, when he crossed the plains to Cali- 
fornia, making the trip with horses. He re- 
mained until December of the following year, 
when he returned to Illinois and purchased an- 
other farm, of which he disposed at the end 
of a year and again essayed the long overland 
journey to the Pacific coast, ox-teams being 
utilized at this time. He located in Linn 
county. Oregon, where he arrived in Novem- 
ber, 1853. settling on a tract of three hundred 
and twenty acres, one-half of which he had pur- 




MICHAEL B. WARD. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



337 



chased, while the remaining quarter section 
had been taken up in the name of his wife, the 
privilege of thus holding having been at that 
time accorded by the land laws. Mr. Ward 
here engaged principall)' in the raising of live 
stock, cultivating sufficient land to provide fod- 
der for the stock. 

In the fall of 1861 Mr. Ward came with his 
family to Walla Walla county, arriving in No- 
\eml)er. with a drove of cattle. The winter 
proved to be one of exceptional severity, and 
]\Ir. Ward lost the greater portion of his stock 
by reason of this condition. The winter iii 
question was passed on the farm of Lewis Mc- 
Mon-is, and the following spring Mr. Ward 
returned to Oregon, disposing of his interests 
tliere and bringing the remainder of his stock 
to Walla W'alla county, where he bought a half 
ir.terest in the farm of Mr. ^IcMorris, purchas- 
ing the remainder of the place two years later. 
To this tract he added by subsequent purchase 
luitil he was the owner of a valuable place of 
seven hundred acres. The family remaned on 
the farm until the centennial year, 1876, when 
they took up their abode in the city of Walla 
Walla, locating in a beautiful home, at the head 
of Poplar street, where our honored subject 
continued to reside until the hour of his death, 
which occurred on the i.^th of April, 1893, at 
which time he had attained the venerable age of 
seventy-four years. He was a man of strong 
intellectual and physical powers, and it is 
worthy of note that his final illness was of but 
two hours duration. He passed away in the 
fullness of years, secure in the esteem and af- 
fection of the community where he had lived 
and labored so long. 

The home place in Walla Walla comprised 
originally a tract of ten acres, but of this sev- 
eral jots have been since either sold or deeded 

Ic the children of the family. Air. Ward never 
22 



aspired to political preferment, though such 
was his popularity and such the confidence re- 
posed in him by the public, that he was called 
upon to serve in the 'important office of county 
commissioner, of which he was the incumbent 
for a period of six consecutive years. He was 
a man of inflexible integrity in all the relations 
of life, and as one of the worthy pioneers of the 
northwest his name will be held in lasting 
honor. 

In DeKalb county, Illinois, on the 20th of 
October, 1842, was solemnized the marriage of 
Mr. Ward to Miss Amelia E. Harmon, a na- 
tive of Wilkes county. North Carolina. In 
early childhood she accompanied her parents to 
Illinois, where she was reared and educated. 
Her father was by trade and occupation a gun- 
smith and blacksmith, and it was in his shop 
that she made the acquaintance of Mr. Ward. 
She accompanied her husband on his second 
trip across the plains, and during all the years 
of their married life she proved his devoted 
helpmeet and companion. Mr. and Mrs. Ward, 
became the parents of one child, Agusta M., 
who is the widow of Major R. R. Rees, the 
pioneer newspaper publisher of Walla Walla, 
in which city she still maintains her residence. 
Mr. Ward was a devoted member of the United 
Brethren church, as is also his widow, both 
having contributed liberally to the support of 
religious work and all other worthy causes. 

Mrs. Ward is a woman of refinement and 
gracious personality, and has been prominent in 
the social life of her home city for many years. 
She is a member of the Ladies' Relief Asso- 
ciation of Walla Walla and was one of the 
lady commissioners to the world's fair at New 
Orleans, in 1885, she and her husband remain- 
ing in the Crescent city for a month, in the 
interests of the Walla Walla valley. Mrs. 
^\'ard contributed five hundred dollars to the 



338 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



building fund for the boys' dormitory of Whit- 
man College. She has at all times had a lively 
interest in tlie welfare of tlie citv and county. 



DELOS H. COFFIN, farmer, a pioneer 
of the Walla Walla valley of 1877, was born 
in Boston, Massachusetts, August i, 1854. In 
1855 he was brought by his parents across the 
plains to the Willamette valley, where his fa- 
ther, George D., bought a squatter's right and 
engaged in farming. The family resided there 
seven years, then after proving up on their 
place as a donation land claim, went to Marion 
county and again engaged in farming and stock 
raising. 

In this part of Oregon Mr. Coffin com- 
pleted his public school education. He worked 
on his father's farm until twenty-one years 
old, but thereupon started to do for himself, 
choosing as his occupation the one which he 
had previously followed at home, namely, farm- 
ing and stock raising. For the first three or 
four years he was compelled to rent land, but 
in 1879 he purchased eighty acres in the Walla 
Walla valley, where he now resides. This 
formed a nucleus for further acquisition until 
he is now the owner of four hundred and forty 
acres of fine land, upon which he raises stock, 
cereals and, in fact, almost all kinds of farm 
products which thrive in this climate. 

Mr. Coffin is a very active man in local 
affairs, holding many offices of trust in the 
county. For four years he was school director, 
for six, he served as road supervisor, and he is 
now representing his district in the board of 
county commissioners. He is one of the lead- 
ing and representative men of his neighbor- 
hood, enjoying the respect and confidence of 
bis fellow citizens. 



In fraternal affiliations, Mr. Coffin is identi- 
fied with the F. O. E. and the I. O. O. F. He 
was married at College Place, December 16, 
1 881, to Miss Stella E. Sickler, a native of 
Minnesota, but a resident of this county since 
she was three years old. 

Mr. Coffin's father died in this valley in 
February, 1885. after a residence of eight years 
here, and his remains lie buried in the Walla 
Walla cemetery. 



PHILIP A. BECKER, a farmer residing 
on the Little ^^'alla \\'alla river, one-half mile 
soutliwest of the Whitman nmnument, a pio- 
neer of 1878, is a native of Dundass county. 
Ontario, born January 28, 1858. He received 
his education in the excellent public schools of 
his native land, also took a course in a busi- 
ness college there. When twenty-one years old 
he came via San Francisco and Portland to 
the Walla Walla valley, where he accepted a 
lx)sition as agent at Blue Mountain station, 
on the Blue Mountain division of the old Dr. 
Baker road, now a part of the Oregon Railway 
& Navigation system. He was thus employed 
for six months, after which he worked a year 
for the same road as brakeman, then for the 
Oregon Railway & Navigation Company. 

Mr. Becker remained with the latter com- 
pany employed as a brakeman until 1882, then 
was promoted, becoming a conductor. In the 
fall of 1883 he decided to quit railroading, so 
he took a homestead where he now resides, also 
a timber culture. He afterwards purchased 
another quarter-section, so that he is now the 
owner of four hundred and eighty acres in all, 
on which he raises cattle, cereals and other 
farm products of almost every variety suited to 
the climate. He is an industrious, thrifty and 
energetic man. possessed of the traits of char- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



339 



acter necessary to insure success in any calling. 
He manifests his interest in the cause of edu- 
cation by serving as school clerk, though he 
might well claim that he had done his share of 
such work, having previously held that office 
for six consecutive years. 

Mr. Becker was married in this county, in 
February, 1887, to Mrs. Martha E. Coffin, a 
pioneer of the valley of 1877. They have three 
children, Philip Ai. Dora May and George A., 
.students in the Whitman district school. 



FRANKLIN B. MORSE.— A veteran of 
the Civil war as well as of the Indian struggles 
of later years, and a respected and esteemed 
pioneer of the county, the subject of this brief 
biographical review certainly merits representa- 
tion in a volume of this character, and it affords 
us pleasure to accord the same to one who has 
made so highly honorable a record both in 
Ijeace and in war. 

Mr. Morse was born in New York on July 
II, 1845, came thence to Ohio in 1853, and 
from that state to Iowa in 1856. He had no 
more than completed his public-school educa- 
tion until the necessities of his war-scourged 
country began to appeal to him, and in 1862 
he enlisted in Company C, Eighteenth Iowa 
Volunteer Infantry, in which he served until 
the goddess of peace again visited our land. 
Not long after his discharge he came from his 
old home in Iowa to W^alla Walla county, ar- 
riving September 3, 1868, it being his fortune 
to become one of the pioneer agriculturists of 
this valley. He followed farming and stock 
raising for the first seven years, and during 
that time took a prominent part in securing 
the formation of Columbia county, which was 
formerly a part of Walla Walla county. He 



subsequently removed to this city, where for 
the first three years he followed the dairy 
business. 

During the Bannock uprising of 1878 he 
served as second officer in command of the 
Walla Walla volunteers, and to him belongs 
a large share of the credit for the fortunate 
outcome of the engagement on the Columbia 
river, the result of which was to prevent the 
redskins from crossing the river and doing un- 
told damage on this side. The Indian sup- 
plies were captured and their canoes destroyed. 

In 1879 Mr. Morse sold his farm and ac- 
cepted a position with the firm of Paine Broth- 
ers & Moore as their shipping clerk, and on 
the completion of the O. R. & N. he entered 
the employ of the company, serving for two 
and a half years thereafter as their night police 
officer. In May, 1884, he was appointed by 
the county commissioners to the office of con- 
stable, and he retained that post until the state 
penitentiary building in this city was com- 
pleted, when his services were called into requi- 
sition in connection with the removal of the 
prisoners from Seatico, now known as Bucoda, 
to this city. 

In 1889 he was appointed a police officer, 
and in the discharge of his duties as such found 
their field of operation. Mr. Morse has proven 
signally faithful to every trust, public or pri- 
vate, in peace or in war, which has ever been 
reposed in him, and he is maintaining his good 
record in the work in which he is now en- 
gaged. 

Mr. Morse has been twice married. On 
November 14, 1869, in the city of Walla Walla, 
his first wedding was solemnized, and to this 
union two children were born : Charles F., now 
in DeLamar, Idaho; and Cora D., now Mrs. 
Edward Stanfield, of Walla Walla. On March 
15, 1900, he was again married, the lady being 



340 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUXTY. 



!Mrs. Emma J. Weathermon, a native of Bel- 
mont county, Oliio, who came to Oregon in 
1883. She hved near ]\Iilton, in that state, 
until 1897, then moved to Walla Walla, where 
she has ever since lived. 



SAMUEL P. YOUXG.— This energetic 
confectioner and cigar merchant was born in 
Tennessee on the twenty-fifth of December, 
1862. He grew to manhood in the state of 
his nativity, completing his education in the 
community in which he was born, and in 1887 
came to Walla Walla. He engaged in farm- 
ing, an industry to which his best endeavors 
were given for the first seven years of his res- 
idence in this valley, but he thereupon moved 
into the city and engaged in the business in 
which we now find him. 

He conducts his business on sound prin- 
ciples, ever watching alertly to conserve the 
best interests of his patrons, and always keep- 
ing on hand a full stock of everything in his 
line. His life and all his relations with his 
fellow man have been so ordered as to win 
the respect and esteem of all those with whom 
he comes in contact. Fraternally he is iden- 
tified with Court Evening Star, X'o. 35, For- 
esters of America, located in Walla Walla, also 
Trinity Lodge. L O. O. F., of Walla Walla 
of which he is inside guard. He owns a com- 
fortable home in this city and other property 
of value, including a farm of one hundred and 
sixty acres on Eureka flat. 



J. ^L HILL. — Prominently identified with 
two of the most important industries of the 
county, banking and railroading, the subject 



of this review has earned an honored place 
among the benefactors and builders of this 
section. He is a son of the west, having been 
born in Yamhill county, Oregon, in 1849. He 
was educated in the public schools of his na- 
tive state and in Portland academy, and when 
he completed his academic training, he en- 
tered a commission house in Portland, where 
he worked for the ensuing five years. 

In the spring of 1872 Air. Hill came to 
Walla \\'alla and went onto a cattle ranch for 
Baker, Green & Company. A few months 
later, however, he and Dr. Baker's son engaged 
in a mercantile business in Weston, Oregon, 
but through the fault and failure of another 
firm and without any dereliction on their own 
part, they were forced to retire. 

Air. Hill then turned his attention to rail- 
way construction as .an employe of Dr. D. S. 
Baker, taking charge of a supply store at Wal- 
lula. When the road was completed he became 
the first conductor, and he afterward served 
as agent at Wallula and still later became su- 
perintendent of the entire \\'alla ^\"alla and 
Columbia River Railroad. This last position 
he retained until the road was sold to the Ore- 
gon Railway & Xavigation Company. He 
then built a railroad to Dudley and Dixie for 
Dr. Baker, afterward operating the same until 
it also became a part of the Oregon Railway 
& Xavigation system. 

His great energy and constructive abili- 
ties were next utilized in the organization of 
the Blue Alountain Flume Company, the pur- 
pose of which was to transport lumber and 
wood for the supply of the market and fort 
at Walla Walla. He assisted in the organiza- 
tion of the Walla Walla Street Railway Com- 
pany, which had the benefit of his supervision 
until it went out of business. In 1892 he en- 
tered the Baker-Boyer X'ational bank '(of 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



341 



which he was ah-eady a director), as book- 
keeper, and shortly afterward he was given his 
present position, that of assistant cashier. Mr. 
Hill has also been for a long time connected 
with and is now treasurer of the Interstate 
Building and Loan Association. He is more- 
over, extensively interested in farming, being 
the owner of four hundred acres south of 
town, besides considerable real estate in other 
places. His holdings also include much city 
property of value. 

For two terms our subject served as a 
member of the board of county commissioners, 
and for a like period he was one of the city 
councilmen of Walla Walla, discharging the 
duties of both offices with characteristic skill 
and good judgment. He is one of the many 
men in the Inland Empire who have worked 
incessantly for the development and upbuilding 
of the country, and very few anywhere have 
displayed greater capacity than he for manag- 
ing large and intricate undertakings. 

Mr. Hill was married in Walla Walla coun- 
ty, in 1876. to Lucinda H. Berry, and their 
union has been blessed by the advent of five 
children : Dorsey AI., now with Blackman 
Brothers & Company; Harry B., who looks 
after his father's farm; and Bertha^ living, and 
Harvey and Florence, deceased. 



BENJAMIN D. CROCKER, a pioneer of 
1879, is a native of Washington county, New 
York, born September 8, 1854. He received 
his education in that state, graduating at Union 
College, at Schenectady, in 1876. He then 
turned his attention to civil engineering, and in 
1879 came out to \\'alla Walla to engage in 
land surveying for the United States govern- 
ment. Lentil 1884 he was in its employ, as- 



sisting in the subdivision of all lands in eastern 
Washington, and for about a year thereafter 
he worked for the N. P. R. R., selecting their 1 
lieu lands. He then accepted a position as gen- 
eral agent for the Oregon Improvement Com- 
pany, by whom he was engaged until 1899. 
Since that date he has devoted his attention to 
the occupation in which he is now engaged, 
namely, acting as financial agent for corpora- 
tions residing outside the state. He was one 
of the organizers of the Farmers' Savings bank, 
and served as a member of its executive com- 
mittee. 

Mr. Crocker is one of the public-spirited 
and progressive men of \\'alla \A'alla, wide 
awake to all the best interests of the city, and 
ready always to contribute his full share to its 
n-.aterial advancement. In politics he is now 
and always has been active, and during the 
recent campaign was a member of the State 
central committee. He is a prominent Knight 
Templar and thirty-second-degree Mason. On 
July 25, 1880, he married, at Lewiston, Idaho, 
Miss Mary P. Truax, a native of Oregon City, 
Oregon. They have two sons. Porter and 
Sewall. 

Mrs. Crocker's father, Major Sewall Truax, 
a pioneer of the coast of 1850, was very promi- 
nent as a soldier, as a surveyor, and as an ex- 
tensive farmer, and his life history forms a 
part of the military and civil annals of the In- 
land Empire. He died in 1893, leaving a wife 
and family of six children, all of whom are 
filling honorable stations in life. 



MAX BAUMEISTER, real estate and in- 
surance agent, was born in Germany, in 1840. 
He attended the public schools there until four- 
teen vears old, then came to America. He lo- 



342 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



cated on Long Island, following the barber 
trade there until 1859, when he came via Pan- 
ama to California. He spent some time in the 
mining region, but soon returned to San Fran- 
cisco, and to the pursuit of his handicraft. 
After maintaining a shop for two years he re- 
turned to Xew York, going thence to Europe. 
He traveled extensively over the old world, 
returning at length to San Francisco. In 1862 
he removed to Portland, Oregon, and a month 
later to Walla Walla, where he again engaged 
iu the practice of the tonsorial art, at first as 
an employe and later in a shop of his own. 
Since 1882, however, he has devoted his en- 
ergies to real estate, loans and insurance, 
though he was formerly also a very extensive 
farmer, and he still gives considerable atten- 
tion to that business. A man of unusual energy 
;ind excvulive ability, he has attained a high 
degree of success in the various enterprises in 
whicli he has been engaged, and he commands 
the respect always paid to those who have the 
courage and sagacity to take advantage of every 
opportunity which may offer. He is thor- 
oughly public-spirited, and ever ready to do 
what he can for the general good. In fra- 
ternal afiiliations he is a Mason. He was mar- 
ried in Walla Walla, in 1866, to Anna Hauer, 
since deceased. In 1880 he was again married, 
in Long Island, Xew York, to Albine 
Schwieker, and to them have been born five 
cliildren, Charlotte, Alvin, Garfield, Max E., 
Olga S. and Wernur W. 



acquiring a public school education, and after- 
wards following farming as an occupation. 
In 1853 he came to the United States, land- 
ing in Xew York, and fmni that city went 
to Wisconsin, making the trip by team and 
sleigh in the winter season. He located in the 
vicinity of La Crosse, where for many years 
he was engaged in farming. 

Subsequently, however, our subject came to 
Walla Walla, rented land on Dry creek and 
resumed, under new conditions, the business 
in which he had so long been engaged. After a 
year had passed he moved onto the place on 
whic'i we now find him. He has one hundred 
and sixty acres of land, a school-quarter sec- 
tion, and is engaged in raising wheat, barley 
and fruit. He was married in Bohemia, Aus- 
tria, in 1850, to Miss Mary Frana, a native 
of that country, who died August 16, 1899, 
after having attained the ripe age of eighty- 
four years. Of their marriage three children 
were born: Theresa, w'ife of Loren Kroll, of 
La Crosse, Wisconsin ; Frances, wife of 
Charles J. Heffner, a farmer on the Oregon 
side of the state line; and Mary, now Mrs. 
Charles H. Eichler. 



FRANK BRZEZOWSKY, a farmer on 
Spring creek, two miles west of College Place, 
a pioneer of 1875, was born in Bohemia, Aus- 
tria. August 17, 1825, He resided in the land 
of his nativity until twenty-six years of age. 



HIPPOLYTE DAMX. — France, like 
many other countries of Europe, has furnished 
us numerous energetic and progressive citi- 
zens, not the least important among whom is 
the man whose name forms the caption of this 
sketch. Mr. Davin was born on the 23d of 
September, 1857, and remained in the land of 
his nativity until he became about sixteen years 
of age, receiving a good common school educa- 
tion. Landing in New York in 1874 he came 
thence directly to California, in which state 
he had his first experience in the sheep rais- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



343 



ing industrj-, which he has followed so suc- 
cessfully and with so much profit to himself 
ever since. In 1883 he sold his stock in Cal- 
ifornia, came with the proceeds to Walla 
Walla county and invested the same in sheep 
here, and he has found the business under the 
conditions existing in this valley a very profit- 
able one to a man who understands as thor- 
oughly as he does the art of handling this 
species of stock in the most economical man- 
ner. He owns four hundred acres and leases 
over eleven thousand acres of grazing land for 
pasturing his flocks. 

Mr. Davin has manifested a deep interest 
in the welfare of Walla Walla since he first 
established his residence here, and has contrib- 
uted materially to the development and growth 
of the city, especially by investing a portion of 
the profits arising from his business in erect- 
ing substantial buildings here. He is the 
owner of the Pearson building, a brick block, 
and other valuable property in the city. 

Our subject was married in Walla Walla 
on August 14, 1893, to Aliss Sidonie Gondre, 
also a native of France, born in 1871. They 
have three children, namely: Phinix H. M., 
Blanche M. R., and Lionel V. X. Mr. Davin 
and his entire family are members of the Cath- 
olic church. 



study at Whitman College. In 1888 he went 
onto his father's farm twenty-five miles from 
Lewiston, Idaho, on Snake river, and there 
he remained until in 1892 he was called to a 
position as clerk in the Spokane postofiice. 
He retained that situation until 1896, per- 
forming his duties faithfully and skillfully. 

A desire to try his fortunes in the mines 
had seized Mr. Truax, however, and accord- 
ingly he now turned his attention to that in- 
dustry. In 1899 h^ opened a bookstore in 
Walla Walla, and began to build up his present 
flourishing business, but he still retains his 
interest in mining, and is helping to develop 
some very promising properties. He is one of 
the rising young business men of the Inland 
Empire, active, industrious and progressive, 
and it needs no prophetic eye to discern a very 
successful future Ijefore him. He was married 
in Seattle, January 10, 1900, to Miss Louise 
A. Fuller, a native of St. Cloud, Minnesota. 



HENRY C. TRUAX, son of Major Truax, 
is one of the prominent young business men 
of Walla Walla. He is a true son of the 
west, having been born at Fort Lapwai, Idaho, 
April 28, 1870, and having spent his entire life 
thus far in the Occident. When two years old 
he was taken by his parents to Walla Walla, 
and in that city he received his education, 
which consisted of a complete public school 
course, supplemented by four years of hard 



EZEKIEL SMITH, carriage maker, Wal- 
la Walla, was born in Canada in 1835, and in 
that country he was reared and educated. Ha 
learned the trade of a carriage maker at Brock- 
ville, Ontario, and worked at it there for some 
time, but at length removed to St. Lawrence 
county, X^ew York, where for two years more 
he devoted himself exclusively and assiduously 
to his handicraft. The ensuing three years were 
passed in the same occupation in western Can- 
ada, and the next three in Berlin, Wisconsin. 
From that date until 1864, his place of business 
was Ripon, in the same state, but he then re- 
moved to Minnesota, arriving in time to par- 
ticipate in the closing operations of the Sioux 
war. 

In 1873 Mr. Smith came to California, 



344 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



whence, four years later, he removed to Walla 
Walla. He entered the employ of the govern- 
ment here, but finding that all his time was 
not occupied, soon opened in business for him- 
self. For more than twenty years he has di- 
vided his time between the go\-ernment, for 
which he works as a wheelwright, and his own 
carriage-making establishment on Alder 
street. Mr. Smith is one of the most highly 
esteemed and respected of Walla Walla's citi- 
zens, and though not ambitious for personal 
preferment, stands high in the community 
where he is known. He is an active member 
■of the First Alethodist Episcopal church, hav- 
ing joined that denomination in 1862, and 
upon arriving in Walla Walla he deposited his 
letter with the local society, of which he has 
been a trustee. He also held the responsible 
office of Sunday-school superintendent for 
twelve years. 

Mr. Smith has been thrice married. On 
July 4, 1856, in Ogdensburg, New York, he 
married Miss Juliette E. Hall, who died in De- 
cember, 1867. On Christmas, 1S72, he was 
married in Mankato, Minn., to Mrs. Fannie 
Shourds, who passed away at Walla Walla 
on AL-iy 3, 1892, and his third marriage took 
place in Walla Walla, the lady being Mrs. 
Sarah E. Tine:. 



PROFESSOR \\"1LLL'\M D. LYMAN.— 
The prominent educator, whose life history it 
is the purpose of this article to briefly outline, 
is a son of the west, and he has long been con- 
sidered among the intellectual leaders of the 
Pacific coast. His father and mother were 
among the earliest settlers of Portland, Oregon, 
having come thither in 1849 from an eastern 
state, awaking the journey by vessel, via Cape 
Horn. In the metropolis of Oregon, then a 



small village. Professor Lyman was born, the 
date of his advent upon the stage of action be- 
ing December i, 1852. Plis parents removed' 
to Forest Grove when he was quite young and 
in the Public schools of that town he took 
his initial steps in the pursuit of a liberal educa- 
tion. In due time, he matriculated at Pacific 
University, from which institution he received 
the 13. S. degree in 1873. He was not, how- 
ever, satisfied with his scholastic attainments, 
so engaged in public school teaching with a 
view to securing funds necessary to enable him 
to further prosecute his studies. In the fall 
of 1875, 'i^ enrolled as a student in Williams 
College, where for the next two years he stud- 
ied with assiduity and zeal, graduating in 1S77, 
with the degree of bachelor of arts. 

He was thereupon appointed to the chair 
of history and literature in his alma mater. 
Pacific University. He taught there nine years, 
but failing health forbade his longer remain- 
ing in the class room, so he sought recuperation 
in the mountain regions of California and New 
Mexico. He traveled for two years, his facile 
pen contributing the while to numerous maga- 
zines and newspapers. In December, 1888, he 
accepted a position in \\'hitman College, and 
that institution has profited by his scholarship 
and ability almost continuously since, not a 
little of the credit for its phenomenal progress 
being due to him. The retrenchment necessi- 
tated by the hard times, however, left him free 
for one year, and this he passed in Finney 
College. At present he has charge of the his- 
tory and civics in Whitman College, and to his 
work there the major portion of his time is 
given, though he is also quite a prolific writer 
for the various leading periodicals. 

Indeed, Professor Lyman's reputation as 
a literary man is quite as extensive as is that 
which he has acquired as a result of his labors 




W. D. LYMAN. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



345 



as an educator, and articles written by him fre- 
quently appear in the Overland Monthly, the 
Liter-Ocean, the Spokesman-Review, the Seat- 
tle Times, the Oregonian and other publica- 
tions both east and west. He was one of the 
contributo'rs to the History of the Pacific 
Northwest, and some of the most interesting 
chapters of this volume were written by him. 
The professor is also widely known throughout 
this state and Oregon as a lecturer and public 
speaker. 

Li 1882, in Forest Grove, Oregon, the mar- 
riage of Professor Lyman to Miss Martha 
Clark was solemnized, and they have become 
parents of four children, namely : Hubert, Mar- 
jorie. Willena and Harold. 

Mrs. Lyman, who also belongs to one of 
the oldest and most widely known and respected 
of Oregon's pioneer families, takes an active 
interest in many of the ladies' organizations 
of Walla Walla, contributing not a little to the 
social and intellectual life of the city. 



THOMAS MOORE, one of the leading 
farmers of the county, was born in Franklin 
county, New York, near Fort Covington, in 
1848. He resided there until sixteen years old, 
recei\-ing most of his education in the academy 
at Fort Covington. Li 1864, he came to Cali- 
fornia, via th; isthmus, and after spending a 
year in the employ of his brother, went into 
the mining region of Nevada, where he realized 
excellent results out of transactions in mining 
stock. He later went to Virginia City, Ne- 
vada, and entered the em]ilov of the Pacific 
(quartz) Mill. 

Mr. Moore worked tliere nearly four years, 
having charge of the engine during the last 
two, then returned to the east, making the 



trip on the first through passenger train, and 
taking six days to go to Omaha, Nebraska, 
where the passengers received a royal welcome. 
Three months were passed in his old home, 
then he started on an extensive tour, on which 
he paid out over one thousand, six hundred 
dollars in railroad fare, and traversed all but 
three of the states of the Union. He finally 
ended his journeyings in 1869, in the city of 
Walla Walla, and turned his attention to farm- 
ing and stock raising, a business which he has 
followed continuously since with great success. 
He is the owner of four hundred acres in 
Spring Valley, and two hundred more across 
the Touchet river, upon all of which he is now 
raising wheat. 

Mr. Moore has always taken an active in- 
terest in politics, and ever proved himself a true 
friend of progress. He has been especially 
earnest in his efforts to secure good roads 
throughout his county, thus giving his enthusi- 
astic support to one of the most needed of re- 
forms. Li fraternal connections, he is an Elk, 
and a Catholic Knight. He was married in 
Bridgeport, California, to Nellie Bannon, who 
died in 1897, leaving four children, Corleen, 
Walter, Camille, and Clarence. Li 1900 he 
was again married, the lady being Miss Maggie 
Bannon, a sister of his former wife. 



RICHARD A. BOGLE, proprietor of the 
tonsorial parlors at No. 3 Second street, was 
burn in the West India Islands, Septeml)er 7, 
1835. ^^'llen about twelve years old, he emi- 
grated to New York, and a year later, in com- 
l)any with one John Cogswell, he removed to 
Michigan, whence, after but a In'ief residence, 
he and Mr. Cogswell crossed the ])lains to 
Oregon, arriving in the "land of promise," Oc- 



346 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



tober 15, 1 85 1. He stayed three years, then 
moved to Yreka, Cahfornia, where he learned 
the trade of a barber, under a man named Na- 
than Ferber, for whom lie worked for the en- 
suing three years. During the next three he 
was proprietor of a restaurant and barber shop 
in Deadwood, California, but he subsequently 
engaged in mining. Returning at length to 
Roseburg, Oregon, he resumed his trade, and 
until 1862 he maintained a shop there. In 
that year, however, he emigrated to Walla 
W^alla, whence he made an extensive mining 
tour, visiting Florence, Elk City, and Oro Fino. 
Upon his return, he bought an interest in a 
barber shop, and he has been engaged in that 
business unceasingly since, except for a brief 
period, during which he was in Oregon. 

Mr. Bogle has been quite successful finan- 
cially and is interested in the Walla Walla 
Building and Loan Association, and other busi- 
ness enterprises. He resides in a very pleasant 
and comfortable home at 122 E. Poplar street. 
In Salem, Oregon, in January, 1863, he mar- 
ried Miss A. W'aldo, and they have become 
parents of eight children, five of whom are now 
living, namely: Arthur Belle Warren, now in 
the Sandwich Islands ; Kate, wife of C. M. 
Duft'y. rullman, Washington; Porter, at St. 
Paul ; and Waldo, with his father. 



CHARLES H. EICHLER, a farmer, a pi- 
oneer of 1870, was born in Bavaria, Germany, 
June II, 1849. \\'hen eleven years of age he 
embarked as a cabin boy and visited Australia, 
Africa, Japan and the East Indies. In 1861 he 
disembarked at Norfolk. Virginia, and, though 
only twelve years old, began the struggle for 
existence alone. He worked as a butcher until 



1869, then came west to the \\'alla Walla val- 
ley, arriving early the following year. He 
enlisted in the United States army in the First 
Calvary, Troop H, under command of Cap- 
tain J. G. Trimble, and served in the Modoc 
war of 1872, also participated in several scout- 
ing expeditions among the Piutes. 

In 1875 Mr. Eichler was discharged at 
Fort Walla Walla, and he thereupon entered 
the employ of Adams Brothers, as a clerk in 
their general merchandise store. He was with 
them continuously until 1882, then embarked 
in the grocery business for himself. In March, 
1S84, he closed out and again became a clerk^ 
following that work uninterruptedly until 1889, 
when he was appointed steward of the peni- 
tentiary, a position which he retained for a 
year and a half. From that until 1898 he was 
clerking again, but at the outbreak of the Span- 
ish-American war, he offered his services, and 
was placed in charge of a government pack 
train of mules and sent to Jefferson barracks. 
From that point he was ordered to Tampa, 
Florida, thence to Cuba, arriving at Guanta- 
namo, below Santiago, June 28, 1898. He 
carried ammunition to the firing line at Qua- 
simo and San Juan Hill, encountering as many 
dangers in both these battles as the soldiers en- 
gaged. He became well acquainted with The- 
odore Roosevelt, for whom he has an ardent 
admiration. 

After his return to Walla Walla he served 
one year as driver of the chemical engine on 
the city fire department, then, in 1899, took 
charge of his father-in-law's farm, on which 
he has since resided continuously. Mr. Eich- 
ler is widely known in this county, and enjoys 
the confidence, esteem and good will of a very 
large circle. In religious persuasion he is an 
Episcopalian, and fraternally he is identified 
with the I. O. O. F., and the A. O. U. W. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



347 



He was married in \\'alla W'alla, July 23, 
1877. to j\Iiss Mary Brzezowsky, a native of 
Austria. 



OSWALD BECKER, a farmer on Pine 
creek, fourteen miles southwest of Walla Walla, 
was born in Baden, Germany, February 25, 
1854. He remained there until eleven years 
old, attending the public schools, but in 1865 
he accompanied the remainder of the family 
to the United States. The parents engaged in 
farming in Calhoun county, Illinois, where 
they lived until 1877, when they removed to 
Greene county, in which they continued to re- 
side until their death. The mother died in 
January, 1898. and the father in June of the 
following year. 

Mr. Becker remained with them until 
twenty-one years old, completing his education 
in the district school, then went to work for 
wages in Greene county, of which he was a res- 
ident for the ensuing four years. In 1879, he 
went to Logan county. Arkansas, purchased 
eighty acres of land and engaged in farming. 
Three years later, he sold this and returned to 
Illinois. He farmed there on rented land for 
another period of three years, then disposed of 
his stock and set out for Walla Walla valley, 
arriving in May, 1885. He rented a farm near 
the city of Walla Walla for one season, but 
the following fall took a pre-emption of one 
hundred and twenty acres in the foot hills near 
Waitsburg, where he resided continuously un- 
til 1898. In that year, he sold his holdings, 
came over to Pine creek and homesteaded the 
quarter-section on which he now lives. He 
also purchased a tract of two hundred and 
thirty acres near by, and upon the entire place 
he is raising grain, hay and stock. He has a 
fine herd of twenty-five Shorthorn dairy cows, 



and possesses a plant for separating his own 
cream. 

By dint of industry, perseverance and thrift, 
Mr. Becker has made for himself and family 
a very comfortable home, and has gained rank 
among the enterprising and successful farmers 
of his neighborhood. The fact that he is inter- 
ested in the educational well-being of the county 
is manifested by his having served faithfully 
in the capacity of school director for eight con- 
secutive years on Coppei creek. 

In Illinois, on August 26, 1879, our sub- 
ject married Miss Annie M. Pranger, a native 
of St. Louis, Missouri, and they became parents 
of eight children, Agnes, wife of Charles 
Strahm; Lucy E., Rosa A., Frederick, Gerty, 
Susan, Winnifrede, and Veronica S., at home 
with their parents. The entire family are 
members of the Catholic church of Walla 
Walla. Mrs. Becker's mother died July 28, 
1897, while visiting at her daughter's residence 
on Coppei creek, and her remains lie buried in 
the family lot in the Catholic cemetery. 



WILLIAM C. TOWNSEND, a farmer re- 
siding about thirteen miles southwest of Walla 
Walla, was born in Caledonia county, Vermont, 
October 20, 1865, and there the first five years 
of his life were spent. He was taken by his 
mother to Woodford county, Illinois, where, 
thirteen months later, he was left an orphan by 
the death of his mother, his father having 
passed away shortly before they left Vermont. 

Mr. Townsend was reared and cared for by 
an uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Kohl, 
with whom he lived until twenty-three years of 
age. They gave him a good pul)lic school edu- 
cation, and he rewarded them by working on 
their farm in Illinois and again in Iowa until 



348 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



'twenty-two years of age. The last year he 
was with them, he rented his uncle's place and 
farmed on his own account. 

In the fall of 1888, he came to Washington, 
took a homestead on Mud creek near Hudson 
Bay and began farming. To this he later 
added another quarter-section procured by pur- 
chase, and is now raising wheat as his principal 
crop, though he also gives some attention to 
other farm products. He is enterprising and 
industrious and ranks among the thrifty and 
successful farmers of his neighborhood. He 
does not seem to be ambitious for leadership 
among his fellows, and never has held any 
offices, except that of school director for one 
term, but his standing in the community is of 
the highest. 

In Pendleton, Oregon, on November 30, 
1896. our suliject married Miss Flora Cummins, 
a native of Appanoose county, Iowa, and they 
are the parents of one child, Luther C. Mrs. 
Townsend's parents came to this county in 
1890, and her father now makes his home with 
her. but her mother died twenty-three days 
after their arrival. 



HERBERT F. WALLACE.— One of the 
energetic and progressive mechanics of this city 
and one of her intelligent and respected citizens 
is he who bears the name which initiates this 
brief review. He was born in the state of 
Vermont on the 2d of July, i860, but was 
reared .in the sunny South, having gone to 
El Paso. Texas, when seven years old. He 
acquired a high education, not only completing 
the public school course, l)ut also matriculat- 
ing in and in due time graduating from El 
Paso College. 

After receiving his degree he learned the 



trade of a painter and paperhanger, following 
th.at in Texas for a number of years. But the 
climatic conditions obtaining there seem to 
have undermined his heatlh, for in 1898 he re- 
moved to California for the purpose of better- 
ing, if possible, his physical condition. After 
remaining a short time in San Francisco under 
medical treatment, he came north to Seattle, 
removing thence to Spokane, where for five 
months he again gave himself .vigorously to the 
pursuit of his handicraft. Finally, however, 
he disposed of his business interests there and 
removed to \\'alla ^\'alla, in which city his 
home has since been and where he has again es- 
tablished himself in business. He is still the 
owner of property interests in El Paso, Texas. 
Mr. ^^'allace's marriage was solemnized in 
New York, on May 30, 1891, when Aliss Issa- 
bella Tenney became his wife. 



JAMES S. BARRETT, shoe merchant, 
\\'alla Walla, was born in Sumner, Oxford 
county, Maine, in 1838. He was reared on a 
farm in that state, receiving such education as 
the public schools afforded. On attaining his 
majority, he went to Massachusetts to learn 
the art of manufacturing shoes, and two years 
later (in 1861) he set out by steamer to the 
Pacific coast. Locating in the mining regions 
o: California, he followed mining exclusively 
for about five years. In April. 1867, however, 
lie purchased the Stetson & Buck l^oot manu- 
facturing establishment, which business he con- 
ducted, together with mining, for several 
years, at one time being absent for a brief 
period on a trip east. Finally selling out in 
1875 he moved to San Francisco, California, 
where he purchased an interest in a boot and 
shoe manufactory at 1208 Market street. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



349 



Shortly afterward he bought the remainhig in- 
terest and the entire business was conducted 
by him until July, 1878. 

Mr. Barrett then moved to Walla Walla 
where he purchased property and opened a 
store for the manufacture and sale of boots 
and shoes. He has devoted himself assid- 
uously ever since to the building up and ex- 
tending of this business, employing at times 
several men in his manufacturing industry, 
though he also handles custom-made goods. 
He is a thorough business man, possessed of 
the foresight and good judgment characteris- 
tic of the successful in commercial pursuits. 
As a man and a citizen, his standing in the 
community is of the highest. He is a very 
prominent Odd Fellow, having been connected 
with that order for forty years, and having 
passed through all the ofifices and received all 
the honors in the gift of the fraternity. Mr. 
Barrett was married in Walla Walla in Jan- 
uary, 1879, to Cora M. Parker, a native of 
Jay, Maine, and they now have two children, 
Annie M. and Parker. 



ANDREW J. EVx\NS, one of the leading 
farmers of the county, residing now at 427 
E. Main street, Walla Walla, is a son of Ohio, 
born September 2, 1842. In 185S the family 
moved to Iowa, whence three years later they 
started across the plains to the west, driving 
o.x-teams. On August 29, 1861, they arrived in 
Walla Walla, where Mr. Evans' home has been 
ever since. For several years he was engaged in 
teaming, but he subsequently turned his atten- 
tion to the more profitable business of stock- 
raising. In 1 87 1 he located a homestead on 
Mill creek, three miles east of town, and this 
forms the nucleus of his present fine farm 
of eight Inmdred and twenty acres. 



Mr. Evans is an active, industrious, pro- 
gressive man, and one whose influence in the 
moulding and development of the county has 
been very sensibly felt. His uprightness and 
integrity have never been questioned. For 
some years he served as a member of the Walla 
Walla city council, performing his duties with 
courage, faithfulness and good judgment. He 
has long been an active and consistent mem- 
ber of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. 
In 1867 he was united in marriage to Miss 
Ainata Williams, a native of Iowa, and they 
became the parents of three children, namely: 
Marvin, an attorney in Walla Walla; Emmet, 
a farmer; and Wesley, deceased. 



WILLIAM S. GOODMAN, a farmer and 
sheep and cattle raiser, proprietor of the "Hud- 
son Bay farm," was born in Coles county, Illi- 
nois, on June 2, 1844. When ten years old, 
he accompanied the family to Monroe county, 
Iowa, wdiere he lived for two years on a farm, 
after wdiich he went with his parents to Putnain 
county, Missouri. Here his father engaged in 
the dual occupation of farming and wagon- 
making, he working in the shop most of the 
time, wdiile his sons worked the farm under his 
directions. 

In May, 1862, the entire family set out 
across the plains to this state. They experi- 
enced no real trouble with Indians, though they 
were at one time quite badly frightened, and 
corraled their wagons, but the braves, after 
riding around the extemporized fortification a 
few times, galloped away without opening fire. 
Arriving in the Walla Walla valley in Septem- 
ber, they settled on what is known as the Hud- 
son Bay farm. The father took a squatter's 
claim in this vicinitv, but after two vears dis- 



350 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



posed of it to go to the Willamette valley, where 
lie spent two years. Returning then, he resided 
here until the time of his death. August 6, 1875. 

Upon his arrival at the Hudson Bay farm, 
Mr. Goodman, who had completed his educa- 
Uon in the east, spent a year in a store in Walla 
\\'alla. then engaged in teaming for a brief 
period of time, but in 1864, embarked in the 
livery business in Walla Walla. During the 
year 1865, he was quite extensively engaged in 
freighting to and from the Boise, Auburn, 
Lewiston and Colville mining regions, and in 
1866 he began importing cattle from the \Mlla- 
mette valley, a business which he followed con- 
tinuously until 1873. For the ensuing two 
years, he was in the grocery business in Los 
Angeles, but in 1875 he returned to the "Bay," 
purchased four hundred acres of land and di- 
rected his attention to the business in which 
he is now engaged. Besides the farm men- 
tioned above, he is the owner of a one-thou- 
sand-seven-hundred-and-fifty-acre tract near 
by, which he uses for pasture. He is one of the 
most successful stock and sheep raisers in the 
valley, and is especially interested in the pro- 
duction of fine Shorthorn cattle. His indus- 
try and ability have found fitting reward, so 
that he is quite wealthy, being the owner of 
proijerty in Walla Walla and Seattle and a 
ten-acre tract near the city limits of Los An- 
geles, California. He has long been prominent 
in the Democratic party, though he is too broad- 
minded to be e.xcessively partisan, and is very 
frank in bestowing credit wherever credit is 
due. At one time he was elected without efifort 
•on his own part, to represent Umatilla county, 
Oregon, in the state legislature. 

]\Ir. Goodman was married in Whitman 
county, Washington, in October, 1879, to ]\Iiss 
Irene Stewart, a native of Walla Walla, and a 
slaughter of pioneer parents. They have two 



children : ^lyrtle, now a student in Whitman 
College, and W. Dean, in the public school of 
his home district. 



WILLIAM PETERSOX, a farmer two 
miles southwest of Waitsburg, was born in 
Chicago, Illinois, November 14, 1870. While 
yet a boy, he removed to Nebraska, where he 
completed the public-school education he had al- 
ready begun to acquire in Chicago, and where, 
for a short time, he was engaged in farming. 
Coming to Walla Walla county, in 1889, he 
procured a fine little farm of one hundred and 
twenty acres in the vicinity of Waitsburg, and 
upon this his home has been ever since. He 
is, however, too ambitious to confine his ener- 
gies to such narrow limits, so he leases and 
farms four hundred and eighty acres more, 
raising principally wheat. He is ver}' indus- 
trious, enterprising young man and enjoys the 
good will and esteem of his neighbors gener- 
ally. 



E. SHEPARD RUSSELL, a farmer resid- 
ing on Mud creek, eight miles southwest of 
Walla Walla, was born in Belmont county, 
Ohio, on April 14, 1850. While still in his 
infancy, he was taken by his parents to Bureau 
county, Illinois, where his mother soon after- 
ward died. He was adopted by a man named 
Rude, with whom he lived continuously until 
eighteen years old. He acciuired a part of his 
education in the public schools, but received 
most of his instruction from Mr. and Mrs. 
Rude. 

In 1867 Mr. Russell removed to T^Iiami 
countv, Kansas, where he had a marrietl sister, 
but, after a visit of only three months, he 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY, 



351 



started overland through Missouri to his old 
home in Illinois, making the entire trip on 
foot. For tuo years after his arrival he worked 
ar a farm hand, but he then returned to Kan- 
sas, where he met with an accident which laid 
him up all winter. Early the next fall he 
homesteaded a quarter-section and liegan farm- 
ing on his own account, but, a year later, he 
relinquished his claim, sold his improvements, 
and returned to Miami county. He purchased 
a forty-acre tract and farmed for two years, 
then, his health having failed, lie returned to 
his old home. Shortly afterward, however, 
he removed to Oxford, Iowa, to become fore- 
man for the gentleman who raised him, in the 
business of improving and selling farms. Dur- 
ing the two years of his stay here he encoun- 
tered two cyclones, both of which blew his 
houses to pieces, and one of which carried him 
and the building in which he then was over a 
considerable distance, but without injuring him 
in the least. 

Mr. Russell spent the winter of 1876 in 
Washington county, Kansas, and in the spring 
outfitted and started across the plains with 
mule-teams to the west. On Camass Prairie, 
Idaho, the party met the chiefs of the Bannock 
Indians, who were then holding a council of 
war and planning the outbreak which occurred 
the following year. Chief Eagan, on whose 
head a price was afterward set, took flinner 
with the party several times, and when that 
brave was finally killed he was identified by 
Mrs. Russeirs brother, Jacob Frizzell, who 
Avas a member of the train. 

Mr. Russell finally settled on ^lud creek, 
this county, where the following year he took 
as a timber culture one hundred and sixty acres 
of land. This he unfortunately lost in 1897 
b>- going security for a friend. In that year 
he bought his present place, which consists of 



forty acres in this county, upon which he raises 
alfalfa hay, and forty acres just over the Ore- 
gon line which he is farming to wheat. He 
i: an industrious, thrifty man, deeply inter- 
ested in the welfare of his community, and one 
of its representative citizens. He has held the 
offices of school director and road supervisor 
at different times. 

Fraternally our subject is affiliated with the 
M. W. A. and the K. of P. He married, in 
Washington county, Kansas, on January 8, 
1871, IMiss Frances L. Frizzell, a native of 
Indiana, and they have five living children, 
Clara H., Elsie V., Frank, Harry and ^Marvin 
M. ; also one, E. Shepard, deceased. 



JOHN H. FOSTER.— There are few men 
still li\ing whose connection with the Pacific 
coast dates back to an earlier period than does 
that of the man whose name initiates this sketch. 
Born in the state of Maine in 1828, he had no 
sooner completed his education and attained his 
majority than his adventurous spirit led him 
to Boston, and thence by water to San Fran- 
cisco. He completed his trip around the Horn 
in December, 1849, and with the opening of 
the new year set out for the mines. He was 
in the Sacramento region during the exciting 
Squatter war, but soon after returned to San 
Francisco and began working at the trade he 
had learned in his boyhood, carpentering. 

In the fall of 1850 Mr. Foster came to Port- 
land, Oregon, whence, in 1852. he removed to 
the site of the present Chehalis, Washington, 
where he took a donation land claim. He was 
one of the signers of the historic petition sent 
to Washington, D. C, asking that the territory 
of Washington be set apart from Oregon. In 
i860 he went to The Dalles, Oregon, where 



35^ 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



two years later he entered the employ of the 
United States government as a carpenter and 
wagon-maker. He continued to work in its 
employ until 1869, then came to Walla Walla 
and since that date his life has been linked with 
the history of this city. I'or a number of years 
he followed his trade, erecting some of the 
finest early buildings, but he subsequently be- 
came identified with Rees, Winans & Com- 
pany. Later he sold out and retired from 
active participation in business, though he is 
still a stockholder in the First National bank 
and in the Farmers' Savings bank. 

Mr. Foster possessed an unusual degree of 
the resourcefulness, energy and force of char- 
acter of the early pioneers, and he has been a 
leader in the persistent warfare with opposing 
forces which has resulted in transforming a 
wilderness into a civilized commonwealth. He 
was married first in Portland, Oregon, in 1852, 
to Margaret J. Johnson, wlio died in Walla 
Walla in 1879, leaving eight qhildren: Lewis; 
Henry ; Albert, who was a member of Company 
I, First Washington Volunteers, serving in the 
Spanish- American and Philippine wars; Mary, 
widow of A. E. Isham ; William ; Frederick 
J., still living; and John and Frank, who died 
in 1893 and 1900, respectively. She also had 
one daughter, Margaret, who preceded her 
to the tomb. Li 1881 Mr. Foster married Mrs. 
Sarah White, who has one son, Amos, by her 
first marriage. 

Mr. Foster is the owner of several tracts 
of good farm and grazing land, besides a beau- 
tiful home in Walla Walla. 



DANIEL STEWART.— Residing in an 
attractive home at the corner of Park and Whit- 
man streets. W'alla Walla, is a venerable citizen 



to whom must be given precedence as a pioneer 
of the Pacific coast country, as a veteran of 
the Indian wars and as one who has led an 
active and eventful life, filled with interesting 
episodes concerning the early days. This hon- 
ored pioneer is Daniel Stewart, the subject of 
this review, who is now practically retired from 
active business pursuits. He is a native of 
the old Buckeye state, where he was born April 
26, 1825, the son of William H. and Patience 
(Denton) Stewart. At the time of his birth 
the parents were residents of Marion county, 
whence they removed to Warren county, in 
1830. 

Ten years later Mr. Stewart returned to his 
native county, where he remained for a brief 
interval, going thence, in 1841, to Illinois, 
where he was associated with his brother in 
farming pursuits until the year 1845, on April 
2d of which year he started on the long and 
perilous journey across the plains, this being, 
of course considerably antecedent to the dis- 
covery of gold in California. He proceeded 
with his ox team to In<lependence, Missouri, 
where he joined an emigrant train of about 
two hundred and fifty wagons, subsequently 
subdivided into trains of about forty wagons 
each. They arrived at Oregon City on Octo- 
ber 2d of the same year, the trip having been 
made under the direction of Captain Joel Pal- 
mer. Our subject recalls that the company 
were permitted to listen to a discourse by Mar- 
cus Whitman, who admonished them as to the 
line of conduct which they should pursue. He 
well rcmemiiers this revered historical char- 
acter, who fell a victim to the crafty red men. 
After his arrival in the coast region, Mr. Stew- 
art was engaged in diversified pursuits, having 
for some time engaged in boating on the Co- 
lumbia and \\'illamette rivers, under Captain 
Grav and others. 




DANIEL STEWART. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



353 



At Portland, in January, 1848, Mr. Stewart 
enlisted for service in the Cayuse Indian war, 
Iieing chosen corporal of his company. He 
continued in the service for eight months, par- 
ticipating in all the battles that were fought. 
He was on horse guard at the time Packwood 
and Jackson met death at the hands of the red- 
skins ; the first regular engagement with the 
Indians, however, having been at Sand Hollow, 
six miles beyond Wells Springs. He also took 
[lart in the Tuckannon battle. During the war 
he. with Captain Maxon's company, acted as 
escort for General Gilliam and while he was 
thus serving, the General was accidentally shot, 
at Wells Springs. 

In July, 1848, our subject went down to 
California on the vessel which had brought the 
first news of the discovery of gold in that state. 
He proceeded to Dry Diggings, subsequently 
known, in turn, as Hangtown and Placerville. 
There he mined for a time, then went to the 
middle fork and later the north fork of the 
American river, being fairly successful in his 
mining operations. He next proceeded to San 
Francisco, where he purchased a half-interest 
in the launcli "Rainbow" and also engaged in 
the draying business for a short time. Dispos- 
ing of his interests, he went to Sacramento, 
where he purchased of Colonel Sutter a feed 
stable, which he conducted for a time and then 
returned to Oregon, where he secured a claim 
of three hundred and twenty acres, on Parrot 
creek, four miles south of Oregon City. 

His next venture was the opening of a bill- 
iard hall in Portland. In December. 1852, 
Air. Stewart sold out his business and went to 
Missouri and Iowa to buy cattle, being asso- 
ciated in this enterprise with James H. Fruit, 
'ihey had alx)ut two liundred and fortv head 
of cattle at the start and were engaged in cattle- 
raising until 1858. when Mr. Stewart came to 

23 



Umatilla ri\'er, Washington, where he was en- 
gaged in farming and stock-raising until about 
eighteen years ago. In 1861 he came to Walla 
Walla county, purchasing a farm of one hun- 
dred and sixty acres, situated south of the city. 
About the year 1863 he was located for some 
months at Boise, Idaho, where he was engaged 
in gardening and fruit-raising, in Stewart's. 
Ciulch, which was named for him. In 1866 he 
bought about one thousand acres on Dry creek, 
for a stock ranch. As before stated, he has 
been practically retired from active business for 
the past eighteen years. 

Mr. Stewart was a member of the territor- 
ial legislature of Washington for four terms, 
was postmaster of Walla \\'alla, under Cleve- 
land's administration, for four years and four 
months, has been a member of the city council 
and board of county commissioners, and has in 
every way shown a deep and abiding interest in 
the public welfare. In his fraternal relations 
he is an old and honored member of the Ma- 
sonic order, into which he was initiated as art 
entered apprentice in 1850, at Oregon City, the 
lodge, known as Multnomah No. 84. having 
been the first organized on the Pacific coast 
and working under dispensation of the grand 
lodge of Missouri. 

In the town of Santa Fe, Monroe county, 
Missouri, in March, 1853, Mr. Stewart was 
united in marriage to Miss Margaret Fruit, 
who was born in Callaway county, Missouri, 
on the 19th of September, 1830. His wife 
accompanied him across the plains when he 
drove his herd of cattle through, and she was 
his devoted helpmeet and companion until her 
death, August 13, 1896. They became the par- 
ents of eight children, namely : Kate, wife of 
E. H. Nixon ; Crassus, a farmer and trader ; 
Dr. Charles B., a practicing physician and 
surgeon ; Thales D., who is now engaged in 



354 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



mining in Alaska; Irene B., wife of \Mlliam 
S. Goodman, of Umatilla county, Oregon; 
Ella S., wife of John A. Cameron; Ida S., wife 
of Elmer Winans; and Robert L., a trader. 



EUGENE H. BOYER, a pioneer of 1862, 
is a native of Hillsboro, Arkansas. He was, 
however, reared on the Pacific coast, his father 
having come to California, via the isthmus, 
when he was but a few weeks old. At the age 
of three years he was brought by his parents 
tc Walla Walla, in which city he has resided 
almost ever since, receiving a thorough educa- 
tion in Whitman Seminary. 

When seventeen years old he entered the 
bank of Baker & Boyer as office boy, and early 
showing an unusual ability as an accountant 
was steadily advanced in position until the 
second year, when he became chief clerk or 
cashier. This ix)sition he retained three years, 
after which ill health compelled him to resign. 
He paid a visit to the cast in search of health 
and a broader education, and upon his return 
turned his attention to farming and land spec- 
ulations. In 1885 he was appointed receiver 
of the bank of Baker & Clark, of Moscow, 
• Idaho, and a year later, after successfully wind- 
ing up the l)usiness of the bank, became one 
of the directors of its successor, the First Na- 
tional bank of that city. 

Sedentary life being his bane, he next'en- 
deavored to lure health and wealth from the 
mountains in and about Wardner, Idaho, and 
later in eastern Oregon. One year devoted to 
grain buying in Garfield county, Washington, 
and several years to his duties as deputy treas- 
urer under his father, together with many other 
positions of trust, having fitted him in a marked 
degree for a life of usefulness in the vears to 



come. The most of his tinie during the past 
four years has been devoted to attending to the 
business of his late father's large estate, first 
as executor and latterly as agent. 

Mr. Bo3'er takes considerable interest in 
politics, though not an ardent partisan and not 
ambitious for political preferment. He was 
married, December 31, 18S8, to Aliss Frances 
A. Newcomb, of Waterbury Centre, \'ermont. 



ELIHU G. RIFFLE, a pioneer of 1862, 
was born in \Vest Virginia, March 6, 1838. 
\\ hen eighteen years of age he started in life 
for himself, going to Iowa and engaging in 
the lumber industry there. In 1859 he went 
to the site of the present Leadville, Colorado, 
mined for a season, and finally bought a claim 
\v California gulch, near by. He did not re- 
main long, however, but soon went to St. Louis, 
Missouri, thence back to Iowa, whence, in 1862, 
he crossed the plains to Idaho. From the time 
of his arrival until 1867 he was engaged in 
mining and freighting, and he traveled quite 
extensively, visiting Elk City, Lewiston, Placer- 
ville and numerous other points. In 1867, 
however, he returned to Walla Walla, where 
for ten years he was an extensive stock raiser 
and dealer. About 1877 he purchased land 
four miles east of Walla Walla, and combined 
general farming with stock raising. 

For many years Mr. Riflie was one of the 
leading farmers of the county, but lately he 
has retired from active participation in that in- 
dustry, though he still retains his fine eight- 
hundred-acre farm. He now resides in a 
beautiful home at 404 E. Sumach street, Walla 
\\'alla. By his industry, thrift and good man- 
agement he has secured a fair share of this 
world's wealth, and besides his farm is the 



PIISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



355 



■owner of some \-aIuabIe city property. He was 
married, in Walla Walla, January 14, 1869, 
to Rebecca ^lorrison, who cro.ssed the plains 
with her father in 1861 from Iowa. They 
have two children, Harry, a farmer, and Elsie ; 
and Mrs. Riffle has one daughter by a former 
marriage, Alice, now Mrs. J. D. Lamb. 



WILLLAM KRALMAN, a farmer eight 
and one-half miles southwest of Walla Walla, 
a pioneer of 1878, was born in Prussia April 
19) 1839. When fifteen years old he came to 
America with his uncle and step-mother, his 
parents having both passed away when he was 
quite young. He came via New Orleans to 
St. Louis, Missouri, and went thence to Ouincy, 
Illinois, where for four years he worked as a 
farm hand. Going then to Burlington, Iowa, 
he continued to follow farming there until 
1858, when he removed to Kansas. He located 
a pre-emption near Osawatomie, the home of 
the noted John Brown, with whom he was on 
terms of intimacy. Here he farmed until, in 
1878, he came to the Walla Walla valley. He 
purchased an eighty-acre tract, to which he 
afterwards added twenty-five acres more, and 
on this farm he has ever since lived. 

To Mr. Kralman belongs the honor of hav- 
ing served as a soldier in defense of his coun- 
try, he having enlisted in Company C, Twelfth 
Kansas Vplunteer Infantry, in August, 1862. 
From that date until the close of hostilities 
his best service was given to the cause of na- 
tional union, and he fought many a hard battle 
and performed many an unpleasant military 
duty, making for himself a record of which he 
may well be proud. He received a sunstroke 
in 1864, while on a foraging expedition, which 
permanently impaired his health and constitu- 



tional vitality, but despite this fact he has been 
a very active man in the industrial development 
and social amelioration of the neighborhood 
in which he lives. 

In Osawatomie, Kansas, February 17, 
1861, our subject married Miss Arminda Doty, 
a native of Ohio, whose father and mother 
were pioneers of the state of Kansas. They 
have become the parents of seven children : 
John, a farmer; Nellie, wife of Luther Van 
Winkle ; Frederick, with his father on the farm ; 
Lizzie, wife of William Maher, of Walla 
Walla; Edward L., Amy D. and Albert L., 
also at home with their parents. The family- 
belong to the United Brethren church. 



OSCAR HAYNES, confectioner at Wait;- 
burg, was born in Johnson county, Missouri, 
July 5, 1872. He passed the first twelve years 
of his life in his native state, then accompanied 
his parents to Waitsburg, where, for several 
years, he was engaged in farm work. Later, 
however, he came into the town and embarked 
in the livery business on his own account. He 
followed that continuously and successfully 
until the outbreak of the Spanish- American 
war, then enlisted, becoming a member of the 
First Washington Volunteer Infantry, May i, 
1898. He was in the army for eighteen 
months, participating in all the principal bat- 
tles of the Philippine insurrection. On No- 
vember I, 1899, he was mustered out in San 
Francisco, California, and returned forthwith 
to Waitsburg, where he resumed the business 
which he had left at the call of patriotism. He 
sold this business January 16, 1901, and en- 
gaged in the confectionery business on J\Iain 
street. He is an enterprising, progressive 
young inan, possessed of excellent business 



3S6 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



abilities, ami the force of character necessary 
to carry whatever lie undertakes to a success- 
ful conclusion, if that is within the range of 
p(^ssibility. His standing in the town as a 
man and citizen is of the highest. His fra- 
ternal affiliations are with the Knights of 
Fythias, in which he is very active and pop- 
ular. He was married, in Waitsburg, August 
21, 1900, to Miss Bertha Foster, a native of 
this county. 



DR. Y. C. BLALOCK, physician and sur- 
geon in the Rees-Winans building, was born 
in Mitchell county. North Carolina, August 3, 
1859. He was early taken by his parents to 
central Illinois, where he resided until 1S73, 
attending the public schools. He then started 
across the plains to Walla Walla, driving a 
four-nuile team all the way from Alacon coun- 
ty, Illinois. For a number of years after his 
arrival he worked on his father's farm during 
the summer months, attending school in win- 
ter, and at last, by dint of hard, patient effort 
in the face of difficulties which would have 
overwhelmed a less resolute man, he prepared 
himself for entrance to Jefferson Medical Col- 
lege. 

Immediately after graduation Dr. Blalock 
Ijegan practice in Walla W'alla, opening an 
office on April i, 1S84. Since that date he has 
devoted his energies assiduously to his profes- 
sion, building up a large practice, and attain- 
ing a high standing among his fellow practi- 
tioners. At present he holds the office of county 
coroner, and for four terms he was health of- 
ficer of the city. His interest in the welfare 
of Walla Walla is manifested in many ways, but 
finds more particular expression in his activity 
in connection with the Volunteer fire depart- 
ment, of which he has served as chief for six 



years. The Doctor is very active in politics. 
In 1898 he was elected chairman of the Re- 
publican County Central Committee, and in 
the present year he was again chosen to fill 
that office. 

In fraternal circles tlie Doctor is intensely 
active. He has held many high offices in the 
Masonic order, both in the grand and sub- 
ordinate lodges, and is also very prominent 
in the K. of P., and a member of the I. O. O. 
F. He was married, in April, 1883, in Walla 
Walla, to Julia Sanderson, a native of that 
city, who died in October, 1885, leaving one 
son, Jesse N. In 1890 he again married, the 
lady being Lillian Ballou, who resided just 
across the Oregon line from Walla Walla, and 
to this marriage was born one daughter, 
Phoebe I. 



ALONZO GILLHA:\I, a farmer on the 
state line, southwest of Walla Walla, a pio- 
neer of the northwest of i860, was born in 
Devonshire, England, March 30, 1834. He 
passed his first sixteen years in his fatherland, 
then was a sailor on the St. Lawrence river 
for two years, after which he settled in Lon- 
don, Ontario, where for some time he was 
manager of a hotel. 

When ^Ir. Gillham first came to the United 
States he engaged in the lumbering industry, 
but he afterwards accepted a commission from 
the American Fur Company as "wagon boss." 
He brought, at the instance of this company, 
the first wagon train which ever crossed the 
plains by the northern route. The winter of 
i860 was passed by "Mr. Gillham at the com- 
pany's trading post, at the mouth of the Poplar 
river, and in the spring it was his good for- 
tune to witness the famous fight between the 
Crow and Gros \'entre Indians, in which each 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



357 



side lost forty-five warriors killed, and which 
ended in a treaty of perpetual peace between the 
two tribes, a treaty never broken. Early in 
1 86 1 he made a trip with dispatches down the 
Missouri river in flat-boats to St. Joe, where 
he arrived the day Fort Sumter was fired 
upon, thence by rail to St. Louis, Missouri. 
From that city he went back to St. Paul, Min- 
nesota. 

The next spring our subject entered the 
employ of the government, which sent him to 
Fort Benton, Montana, to lay out a military 
road to Fort Abercrombie. He did not re- 
main with the party until this was completed, 
however, but joined a prospecting company for 
the purpose of searching for hidden treasure in 
the Prickly Pear and Bannock creek districts. 
Selling out his interests in this company 
in 1863, he removed to Virginia City, Montana, 
Avhere he was quite successful during the three 
years of his stay. He was employed from 1866 
to 1870 as a contractor in cjuartz mining, but 
in the latter year he took a squatter's claim 
• in Montana and turned his attention to farm- 
ing, stock raising and freighting. In the fall 
of 1873 he drove his stock through to Boise 
City, Idaho, from which tQwn, shortly after- 
wards, he came to the Walla Walla valley. He 
followed freighting as a business until 1888, 
then took a homestead of one hundred and 
sixty acres on Basket mountain and again en- 
gaged in farming. He has ever since made his 
home on this tract, on which he is at present 
raising wheat and hay. 

Few men have seen more of pioneer life and 
hardships than has Mr. Gillham, and few have 
done more than he to develop new regions and 
blaze the way for the advent of civilization. 
He has been active in several Indian wars. 
serving as a teamster to haul government sup- 
plies in both the Xez Perce and Bannock wars, 



and as a guide to a train sent from Lewiston 
through the Palouse country under Colonel 
Whitten, for the purpose of heading off Chief 
Joseph. Mr. Gillham was married, in Walla 
Walla, April 30, 1876, to Miss Mary C. Price, 
a native of Iowa, and an old pioneer of the 
Walla Walla valley. They have four children : 
Elizabeth E., wife of Charles Stribe; Harry 
J., a farmer; Alonzo C, a farmer; and Lidia, 
v.dio resides with her father. 



HARRY DEBUS, whose connection with 
Walla Walla county dates back to 1875, was 
born in Baden, Germany, December 3, 1825. 
He grew to manhood and was educated in his 
fatherland, remaining there until 1849. In that 
year he emigrated to Philadelphia, where he 
secured employment as a tailor (that being' 
his handicraft) from Wannamaker & Brown. 
He worked for this firm about twelve years. 
In 1875 he came out to Walla Walla and re- 
sumed work at his trade, giving some attention 
also to farming. At present he is engaged in 
business on Fourth street, that city. Mr. 
Debus was married, while in Philadelphia, to 
Miss Elizabeth Besserer, a native of Baden, 
Germany, and to them have been born three 
children : Harry ; Freno, wife of J. W. Wahn; 
and Lena, wife of William Ruddock. 

Harry Debus, Jr., was born in Philadelphia 
November 7, 1869. He came with his parents 
to Walla Walla, where he received a good ed- 
ucation in the public schools and in St. Pat- 
rick's Academy. He early learned the trade of 
a blacksmith, and for ten years worked at that 
craft in Walla Walla, but for the past five years 
he has been engaged in the liquor business. 
In 1879 he became connected with the fire de- 
partment, a cnnnection that has ne\er been per- 



358 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



manently severed, and he is at present acting 
secretary of the department. He is very active 
in poHtics, having served as delegate to every 
Democratic county convention since lie be- 
came of age. He also has the honor of having 
served in the Spanish-American war, and is 
now a leader in Lawton Post, Spanish-Amer- 
ican Veterans. He was married, in Walla 
Walla, August 27, 1891, to Miss Dora Picard, 
a daughter of one of the old pioneers of this 
county, and they now have a family of three 
children, William R., Henry L. and Erma. 



Lodge, No. 19, in which he is quite active. lit 
1890, in the city of \\'alla Walla, our subject 
married Miss ]\Iaude Kirkman, a scion of an 
old pioneer family, and to them has been born 
one son. John Edward. 



GEORGE E. BARNETT, dentist, 3 and 
4 Post Office block, Walla Walla, was born in 
Oakland, Oregon, in 1866. He attended both 
public and private schools there until eleven 
years old, then came with the remainder of 
the family to Walla Walla. Here he completed 
his public-school education and took a course 
in AMiitman College. He then entered the 
Universitv of Pennsylvania as a student of 
dental surgery, graduating with distinction in 
the class of 1889. Returning home, he prac- 
ticed in Walla Walla one winter, then spent 
two years as a practitioner of his profession in 
Seattle. Subsequently, howe\'er. he located in 
Walla Walla, where his home and his business 
have ever since been. 

Dr. Barnett is a thorough student of his 
profession, and has attained the skill and pro- 
ficiency in it which concentration and assiduity, 
coupled with good natural ability, are sure to 
bring. He is justly regarded as one of the 
leading dentists in the city, and enjoys a large 
patronage. Tlie Doctor gives some attention 
to mining, l;eing quite extensively interested in 
Lake Chelan properties. His fraternal connec- 
tions are with the I. O. O. F., Washington 



ADRIEN MAGALLON, a pioneer of 
1882, was born in France August 10, i860. 
\\'hen fourteen years old he emigrated to San 
Francisco, California, whence he moved to 
Los Angeles to secure a job as a shepherd. He 
was thus employed there and at Santiago for 
about nine years, during which time he ac- 
cumulated considera1)le money, his ambition 
being to start in the sheep business for him- 
self. He then came to Walla Walla and herded 
for ^Ir. Sturgis a year and a half, at the end 
of which time he was master of sufficient funds 
tt warrant him in embarking in the industry 
on his own account. So he purchased a num- 
ber of sheep, and started in the business in 
which we now find him. He has been re- 
markably successful, and is at present the owner 
of about thirteen thousand sheep. He also has 
about eight thousand acres of land on the 
Snake river, besides some very valuable Walla 
Walla real estate. He resides in a magnificent 
home at 313 N. Sixth street, surrounded by 
all the comforts and conveniences of life. 

But above all Mr. Magallon is so fortunate 
as to enjoy the unwavering confidence and 
hearty good will of all who know him, and to 
command the respect always bestowed upon 
those who work their way by industry and 
thrift from obscure beginnings to competency 
and comfort. In fraternal affiliations I\Ir. Ma- 
gallon is identified with the L O. R. M. He 
married, in Walla Walla, November 26, 1889, 
^lary Charrier, a native of Quebec, Canada, 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



359 



and they have four living children, namely: 
Adrien, ]\Iarie, Lucy and Armand; also one, 
Bertha J., deceased. 

]Mrs. Magallon has been a resident of Walla 
Walla for twenty-two years, coming xia San 
Francisco with her parents, who made this 
county their home. 



WINFIELD D. SMITH, undertaker and 
embalmer, 130 E. Alder street, was born in 
Morgan county, Ohio, December 22, 1850. 
and there the first fourteen years of his life 
were passed. From that time until 1880 he 
was a resident of McLean county, Illinois. He 
received a thorough public-school education, 
supplemented by a course in the Wesleyan Uni- 
versity, located at Bloomington, Illinois, then 
engaged in teaching, which profession he fol- 
lowed for the ensuing five years. He then 
came west with a car-load of horses. These he 
disposed of at The Dalles, Oregon, where for 
the next three years he was engaged in stock 
raising. 

Coming to Walla Walla in 1883, Mr. Smith 
turned his attention to the manufacture of 
woven wire matresses, and in 1885 he liecame a 
shipper of fruit and produce. In 1890 he 
built the first fruit evaporator in the county, 
and this he still owns and operates. He has 
recently begun the manufacture of cider vin- 
egar, and in November of this year he began 
the erectinn of a factory for that purpose, which 
will have a capacity of thirty-five hundred bar- 
rels per annum, and which, he says, will be 
the first and only pure cider vinegar factory 
in the state. 

In addition to bis extensive fruit business 
our subject has, since 1889, been the owner and 
operator of a suite of undertaking parlors on 



Alder street. He is also interested in mining 
in the Rocky Bar district in Idaho. Mr. Smith 
is one of the most enterprising and progressive 
Ijusiness men in the county, and a man wdio 
stands high in the esteem of bis fellow towns- ■ 
people generally. In fraternal affiliation he is 
connected with the Masons, the Odd Fellows 
and the Knights of Pythias. He was married 
in Portland, Oregon, in 1893, to Miss Nathalie 
Grenier, a native of Ohio, and they have two 
children, Madeline and Laura. 



CAPTAIN JOHN E. BOYER is a native 
of the city of Walla Walla, born December 29, 
1866. He received unusual educational ad- 
vantages. In 1887 he took the degree of 
bachelor of arts from ^Vhitman College, grad- 
uating in the second class ever sent out by that 
institution. He then went to the University of 
Michigan and spent two years in the study of 
political science, history and law, taking the 
first year's work in the law department and' 
receiving the degree of bachelor of arts from 
their liberal arts department. He next went 
to Columbia University, where, in 1891, he 
finished the law course. He was admitted to 
the bar in New York city, but began practice 
in Seattle in partnership with the Hon. E. 
Heister Guie, with whom he was associated 
until the death of his father called him to Walla 
Walla in 1897. He then gave up the practice 
temporarily to act as one of the executors of 
his father's estate, the affairs of which engaged 
his attention until, in April, 1898, the outbreak 
of the Spanish-American war called him into 
the military service of his country. For this 
service Captain Boyer had fitted himself by 
close study and application to military duties 
in the national guard of Washington. While 



36o 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



in Seattle he was identified with Compan)- E, 
N. G. W.. of which he was first lieutenant 
at- the time his removal from the city led him 
to resign his commission. 

At the first call of the jjresident on the na- 
tional guard for volunteers, however, he ap- 
plied to Governor Rogers for reinstatement as 
an officer in the N. G. W.. but was refused, 
there being no \-acancy. 1 le thereupon enlisted 
as a private in the Walla Walla company and 
proceeded to the state rendezvous. Here, how- 
ever, while the First Washington Regiment 
Avas in process of formation from the N. G. 
A\'., the governor found one of the companies 
so disorganized as to necessitate its disband- 
ing, and Captain Boyer was called on to or- 
ganize a new company from the material on 
the grounds. This company was mustered into 
the service of the United States as Company 
M, First Washington Infantry, United States 
Volunteers, on May 13, 1898, with Captain 
Boyer as commanding officer. It made a 
splendid record for itself both in garrison duty 
on the Pacific coast and campaigning in the 
Philippines until mustered out in San Francisco 
November i, 1899. 

Captain Boyer was on duty constantly with 
his company except from September 29, 1898, 
to Fcl)ruary 8, 1899, during which period he 
was disabled by an operation for acute ap- 
pendicitis. His military service was of the 
most worthy character throughout. He re- 
ceived special mention in orders from the head- 
(juarters of the army for "especialh' meritorious 
conduct in service," in saving, at the risk of 
his own life, a soldier from drowning in the 
Pasig river. 

On being mustered out lie returned to 
Walla Walla and to his duties as executor of 
the Boyer estate, on the settling of which, in 
the latter part of 1900, he expects to resume 



his practice of law in Seattle. He has recently 
been appointed judge advocate for the depart- 
ment of Washington of the Spanish-.American 
^^'ar \'eterans. 



JOHN HOFFMANN, a farmer residing at 
621 South First street, a pioneer of 1878, was 
born in Weinheim, Germany, iMarch 18, 1852. 
He was reared on a farm and educated in the 
public schools until sixteen years old, then 
came alone to the United States. He spent 
five years in the city of New York, employed 
in a piano factory, afterwards going to San 
Francisco, where he followed the same occupa- 
tion for five years longer. 

At the end of that time Mr. Hoft'mann came 
to Walla Walla, arriving in August, 1878. He 
was engaged in freighting here for several 
years, but in 1883 took a pre-emption of one 
hundred and twenty acres on Eureka flat with 
a view to becoming an agriculturist. He 
proved to be an unusually successful farmer, 
and his real estate holdings have kept increas- 
ing until he is now the owner of 2,560 acres, 
all except one quarter in one tract and adjacent 
to the original pre-emption. He also has an ele- 
gant home in Walla Walla, and two fine ware- 
houses of his own on Eureka flat. On his place 
is a well 945 feet deep, drilled, but the water 
rises only 245 feet, so that it has to be elevated 
full seven hundred feet by artificial means. 

Mr. Hofifmann has achieved that for which 
all are stri\-ing and which comparatively few 
attain, namely, success in life, and he has done 
so, too, under the most unfavorable circum- 
stances. Coming to this country when a mere 
boj', without means, without influence, without 
even a knowledge of our language, and with- 
out experienced relatives to advise and direct, 
he has worked his way to a high standing in 




JOHN HOFFMANN 




MRS. THERESA HOFFMANN 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



361 



the social and financial world. He is a promi- 
nent fraternalist, being identified with Walla 
Walla Lodge, No. 13, F. & A. M., all the chairs 
of which have been occupied by him ; with Tribe 
No. 23, L O. R. M. ; with Integrity Lodge, No. 
4, A. O. U. W., and with the Sons of Her- 
man. He also belongs to the Royal Arch and 
Commandery, branches of Masonry. Mr. Hoff- 
mann married in Walla Walla, on April 25, 
1881, Miss Theresa Kirchner, a native of Min- 
nesota, who was brought by her parents to the 
valley when four years old. Her father, Mel- 
chior Kirchner, died in Florida, to which state 
he had gone for his health, m 1891, and her 
n^other ncnv lives at Uniontown, Washington. 
Mr. and Mrs. Hofi^mann are the parents of nine 
children : Edward. Bessie D., Annie, Valline, 
Philip and John, all at home and pupils in the 
public schools; Joseph, Henry and Lena, all 
deceased. The family affiliate with the Cum- 
berland Presbyterian church of Walla Walla. 



JAMES CUMMINS, of Cummins Bros. 
Livery Company, Walla \\'alla, was born in 
Henry county. Indiana, January 6, 1859. 
When three years of age he was brought by 
his parents to this county. He acquired a pub- 
lic-school education, then engaged in raising, 
buying and selling horses and cattle near 
Touchet Station, on Touchet river, where he 
still owns seven hundred acres of land, fifty 
head of dairy cattle and five hundred range 
horses. Of this ranch his son, John R., is now 
foreman, Mr. Cummins giving his time to the 
management of the livery business owned by 
himself and brother in Walla Walla. 

Mr. Cummins is a man of ability and good 
judgment, possessed of the energy and de- 
termination requisite to carry whatever he may 



undertake to a successful issue, and his stand- 
ing in Walla Walla and wherever he has lived 
is an enviable one. His interest in the cause 
of education is manifested by the fact that for 
fourteen years he was school director in his 
district at Touchet Station. 

In Walla Walla county, on September 14, 
1879, Mr. Cummins married Miss Addie E. 
Byrnes, a native of Minnesota, who died Au- 
gust 16, 1900. Their children are John R., 
foreman of the ranch at Touchet; Lizzie, a 
student in Whitman College; Evelina, Albert, 
Lillie and Mary L., all in the public school; 
James H., the baby, now with his grandpar- 
ents ; and Floyd, deceased. 

In fraternal circles Mr. Cummins is a mem- 
ber of the F. O. E., of Walla Walla. 



JOSEPH L. HARPER, secretary of the 
Preston-Parton Milling Company, of Waits~ 
burg, was born in Iowa May 3, i860. After 
completing his education he followed the trade 
of a carpenter and the profession of teaching 
in his native state until 1882. then came to 
Waitsburg and turned his attention to farm- 
ing. He was in that occupation until 1886, 
when he accepted a position in the mill, by 
which he is now and ever since has been em- 
ployed. He is one of the silent partners in the 
business. Mr. Harper has always manifested 
a deep interest in the general development of 
Waitsburg, and ever shown himself willing to 
do his share for the promotion of the general 
welfare. For the past three years he has repre- 
sented his ward in the city council. He was 
married in Waitsburg, November 21, 1888. to 
Miss Anna Co.x, who was born on the Co.x 
homestead, si.x miles south of the town, March 
30, 1867. They have one son, Wayne. Mr. 



362 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



and yirs.. Harper and their little boy live in a 
comfortable home of their own in Waitsburg, 
supplied with all the conveniences of life, and 
very pleasantly situated. 

JMrs. Harper's father, ]\Ir. Lewis Cox, is 
one of the oldest and most prominent settlers 
of this section. He was born in Illinois in 
1840, but has been identified with the Pacific 
coast ever since he was about twelve years old, 
having crossed the plains to Oregon in 1853. 
He farmed for a number of years in Linn 
county, Oregon, near Albany, but later moved 
thence to Waitsburg, where he farmed until 
failure of healtii compelled him to retire. In 
1897 he sold his farm and moved into the 
town of Waitsburg. He was married August 
29, 185S. His children are Albert, deceased; 
Grant U. ; Bertie E. ; Annie -M. ; Frank L., 
deceased ; Fred O. ; Nathan B. ; Anderson B. ; 
Elmer E. ; Lulu V. : Jennie E. : Tina J. and 
Grace. 



ALFRED BACHTOLD is a native of 
Switzerland, born in 1870. When only twelve 
years old, however, he came to America, locat- 
ing first in South Dakota, where for about six 
years he was engaged in farming. He then 
went to Wisconsin and directed his attention 
to the plumbing business, a line which he fol- 
lowed until 1 89 1. The ensuing twelvemonth 
was spent in Dakota. Coming then to Port- 
land. Oregon, he remained a few months in 
tb.at city, but before the end of the year 1892 
he became identified with Walla Walla. For 
the following five years he was engaged in 
manufacturing wire fencing and in various 
other enterprises, but in 1897, in company with 
Charles Ackerman, he opened a wholesale wine 
and liquor establishment. His trade extends 
over a large section of country, including Port- 



land, Seattle, The Dalles, Astoria and many 
other cities and towns. Mr. Bachtold is an 
enthusiastic man in fraternal circles, and is 
connected with the Red Men, of which he is 
past sachem ; the Eagles, and the Sons of Her- 
man. He is also an active member of the fire 
department. Our subject was married, in 
Walla Walla, in 1897, to Mary Ganswig, and 
to them were born two children, the oldest now 
deceased. 



PROFESSOR SAMUEL HARRISON 
LOVEWELL, director of the Conservatory 
of Music, of Whitman College, was born in 
Wellesley, Massachusetts, March 9, 1865. He 
took a thorough public-school course, then en- 
tered the New England Conservatory of 
Music, from which he graduated in 189 1. A 
great part of his instruction was, however, re- 
ceived from George E. Whiting, Otto Bendix 
and other private teachers of note. His first 
experience in the practice of the musical profes- 
sion was acquired in Easton, Pennsylvania, 
.where he was engaged as organist and choir 
master of St. John's Lutheran church, and in 
private teaching. Two of his pupih ^\d^ile 
there were members of the family of Francis 
A. March, the great scholar and philologist. 

Subsequently Professor Lovewell went to 
Georgetown, Kentucky, to become organist 
and choir master in the Christian ciiurch there 
located, and to further prosecute iiis work as 
a private instructor in music. In 1S96 he re- 
moved to Columbia, South Carolina, and took 
charge of the Trinity Episcopal church choir, 
also became director of music in the Presby- 
terian College for Women, located in that city. 
He retained these positions until, in 1898, he 
was called to Walla Walla to take charge of 
the music teaching in Whitman College. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



363 



The Professor is a thorougli musician, fa- 
miliar with all the great composers, and in- 
spired with a great love for that which is 
highest and best in this moSt sublime of all 
arts. He is doing much to elevate and improve 
the musical tastes of his pupils and of all who 
come under the influence of the college. Pro- 
fessor Lovewell was married, in 1893, in 
Easton, Pennsylvania, to Anna A. Sandt, and 
they have four children, Elizabeth, John S., 
Dorothy and Ruth. 



JESSE CU?^1MINS, of Cummins Bros. 
Livery Company, at 318 Main street, a pioneer 
of 1862, was born in Mahaska county, Iowa, 
January 17, 1853. The first nine years of his 
life were passed there but he then started with 
his parents over the long trail to the west. He 
came in the Canada train, consisting of two 
hundred and seventeen wagons, and experi- 
enced no difficulty with the Indiarls. The 
family settled in this county, taking a home- 
stead six miles southeast of Walla Walla. They 
resided here for about seven years, then sold 
out and moved over onto the Walla Walla 
river, where they might have better pasture for 
their herds. 

Mr. Cummins received such educational 
privileges as the public schools of those early 
days afforded, and when nineteen years old 
began to work for wages. Two years later he 
homesteaded land near Dayton, where for the 
ensuing thirteen years he was engaged in farm- 
ing. He then traded off his place and went to 
raising horses at Pine Tree Rapids, of Snake 
river, in Franklin county, at which he was em- 
ployed for four years. Thereafter he traded 
a tract of two hundred and twenty-eight acres 
on the Snake river, which he had bought from 



the railroad company, for a farm of two hun- 
dred acres in the Grande Ronde valley, Oregon, 
Upon this land he resided until July, 1900, 
v.dien he sold out and returned to Walla Walla 
to become a partner of his brother in the livery 
business here. 

Mr. Cummins has always been a friend of 
progress and a promoter of the general welfare 
wherever he has lived. He is a great friend 
of education, and has served as school director 
in dift'erent places for a number of years. He 
was married, in Walla Walla, on November 

I, 1876, to Miss Louisa C. Davidson, a native 
of Tennessee, who crossed the plains from Ar- 
kansas in the 'seventies, and who died October 

II, 1900, at Walla Walla, leaving five children, 
James R., Bert, Daisy I., Charles E. and 
Maude. 



EDWARD McDonnell, chief night 
turnkey at the state penitentiary, a pioneer of 
1872, was born in Ireland May 6, 1844. He 
received his education in Iowa, to which state 
his parents emigrated when he was five years 
old. For several years he attended college in 
Milwaukee, and thereafter was engaged in 
farming and teaching until 1872, wdien he 
came out to Walla Walla. He took land here 
and at once embarked in the sheep business, an 
industry which continued to engage his energies 
until 1878. When Columbia county was or- 
ganized he became one of its first county com- 
missioners, and in 1876 he was elected to rep- 
resent it in the legislature. In 1879 he moved 
into Walla Walla, from which city he directed 
operations on his farm two miles out. For 
the two years following 1883 he was a farmer 
ir. Spokane county, but he then returned to 
Walla WaW^. 

Mv. ^Icnonncl! has been verv active in the 



364 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



political history of state and county, serving 
a term in the legislature as above mentioned, 
presiding over the board of county commis- 
sioners for four years, and leading the delibera- 
tions of the Democratic party in many of its 
most important conventions. He was the nom- 
inee of his party in the first election held under 
the state constitution for the state senate, and 
was appointed I)y Governor Rogers to the 
stewardship of the penitentiary in 1897, but 
was afterwards given the post of chief night 
turnkey, which he still holds. 

Jilr. ilcDonnell married, in Dubuque, Iowa, 
January 29, 1878, Miss Sarah A. Curran. a 
native of that city. They have a family of 
three children, Curran, Blanche and Shirley. 
Mr. McDonnell is the owner of a comfortable 
home at 109 Second street and of considerable 
other valuable city property. 



BEXJA:^IIX L. SHARPSTEIN, of the 
law firm of Sharpstein & Sharpstein, a pioneer 
of 1865, was born in Bath, New York, October 
22. 1827. In 1834 he accompanied his par- 
ents to Michigan, and when nineteen years of 
age he moved to Wisconsin, where he studied 
law, gaining admission to the bar in 1852. For 
the ensuing thirteen j'cars he practiced his pro- 
fession there, but in 1865 he set out across the 
plains to Washington, traveling in the prim- 
ative fashion of those days, namely, with teams 
and wagons. 

Arriving in Walla Walla in due time, ]\Ir. 
Sharpstein opened an office and again engaged 
in law practice. He seems to have come into 
prominence in his new home almost immediate- 
ly, for in 1866 he was elected to the territorial 
legislature. As his subsequent career proved, 
the choice was a wise one, and the people, ap- 



preciating the faithfulness and ability of his 
public service, twice returned him. In 1889 
he was elected a member of the state constitu- 
tional convention. Afterward, for three suc- 
cessive terms, he was chairman of the Tide 
Lands Commission, a most important post, for 
upon this board fell the burden and responsi- 
bility of superintending the sale of tide lands. 

Mr. Sharpstein has labored in many ways 
for the development and ujilniilding of ^^^alla 
Walla, but it is in the educational work of the 
city that his beneficent influence has been most 
sensibly felt. For many years he was a faith- 
ful and judicious member of the board of edu- 
cation. He takes rank among the leading at- 
torneys of the Inland Empire, and the firm of 
which he is the senior partner is doing an ex- 
tensive business. They are the owners of large 
tracts of land in Walla \\'alla and other coun- 
ties, besides considerable valuable city property. 

In fraternal affiliations Mr. Sharpstein is a 
prominent thirty-second-degree Mason. In 
Wisconsin, on December 27, 1855, he married 
Miss Sarah J. Park, and to them have l)een 
lx)rn five children: John L.. a partner in the 
firm; Addie, now Mrs. C. B. L'pton: Frank B.. 
of the law firm of Sharpstein & Rader ; Charles 
;M., in Chicago; and Arthur P.. deceased. 



HORACE J. ]MURPHY. a retired farmer, 
residing in Waitsburg, is a son of the west, 
having been born in Oregon June 22. 1854. 
He lived in that state until fifteen years old. 
acquiring most of his education there, then 
came to Spring Valley, Washington, and en- 
gaged in stock raising. He continued in that 
Inisiness until 1S77, then took up land seven 
miles west of Waitsburg and commenced gen- 
eral farming. For fifteen years thereafter he 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



365 



was one of the most enterprising- anil success- 
ful farmers in the valley, increasing his real 
estate holdings until they amounted in all to 
a full section, but in 1892 he rented his land 
and retired from active participation in any 
of the callings of life. He now resides in 
Waitsburg, where he has some valuable prop- 
erty. 



native of Pennsylvania, and they have become 
the parents of nine children : Alcestes, de- 
ceased ; James T., Florence 'Si., Eliza J., Alta, 
Isaac E., Anna G., Hiram L. and Arrabella 
Gertrude. 



JAMES WICKERSHAM, a stone and 
brick mason at Waitsburg, is a native of Ohio, 
born November 16, 1832. He acquired a com- 
mon-school education and learned his trade 
there, then went to Iowa, where he worked as 
a journeyman until the fall of 1865. He then 
went to east central Kansas, bought a farm of 
one hundred acres one and one-half miles east 
of Ottawa, the county seat of Franklin county, 
and turned his attention to agricultural pursuits 
and contracting. Wliile there he was quite 
prominent locally, holding the positions of 
township trustee and assessor for a period of 
five years. After farming there steadily for 
more than a score of years he, in the spring of 
1888, came to Waitsburg, where for half a dec- 
ade he was engaged in the dual occupation of 
farming and merchandising. 

In 1892 Mr. Wickersham sold both his farm 
and his store, and purchased a half interest in 
the Waitsburg planing mill, but he afterwards 
sold this also and returned to the pursuit of 
his trade. He took a trip east in the fall of 
1899, visiting the old home place and eating 
ajjples from the trees he had himself planted 
in 1849. 

Thmigh quite well advanced in life, Mr. 
Wickersham is so well preserved that he is 
able to hold his own with the average man on 
a brick or stone wall. He was married in lnwa, 
on October 18, 1855, to Miss Mary Smith, a 



BENJAMIN W. MARCY, a fruit grower, 
one-half mile west of McMinn's drier, a pio- 
neer of 1 86 1, was born in Worcester, Massa- 
chusetts, January 27, 1834. When he was but 
two years old the family moved to the vicinity 
of Beardstown, Illinois, then a very new coun- 
try, and there Mr. Marcy grew to maturity and 
was educated. His mother died when he was 
seven years old and his father when he was 
seventeen. He then stayed with his sister about 
a year, after which he set out across the plains 
tc California, traveling with ox-teams. The 
emigration from the eastern states was heavy 
that year, so that his train never was out of 
sight of wagons ahead or behind. 

Arriving in California August 20, 1852, 
ilr. Alarcy at once proceeded to the placer 
mines, where for a short time he worked for 
wages, getting six dollars per day. Soon, how- 
ever, he engaged in mining on his own ac- 
count, following this as his occupation con- 
tinuously for nine years. In August, 1861, he 
came to the Walla Walla valley. For the first 
three months of his residence here he busied 
himself in shooting prairie chickens for the 
market, and when winter came on he engaged 
in hunting deer for the same purpose. Next 
spring he went to Florence, Idaho, on a pros- 
pecting trip, but that summer he and his part- 
ner went to Camass Prairie, Idaho, and engaged 
in making hay, for which they got one hun- 
dred dollars per ton. 

Returning to Walla Walla in the fall, Mr. 
Marcy squatted on a claim of one hundred and 



366 



HISTORY OF WALLA \\^A.LLA COUNTY. 



sixty acres on Cottonwood creek, where for 
tlie next nineteen years lie was engaged in ag- 
ricultural pursuits. In addition to his home- 
stead he also became the owner of a half-section 
of railroad land on the Oregon side of the line, 
and a quarter-section of school land. He sold 
the last of this real estate in 1890, and in 1892 
purchased seventeen acres, upon which he is 
now raising fruits, berries, etc. Mr. Marcy 
possesses the true pioneer spirit. He has the 
resourcefulness, courage and ability to make 
the best of circumstances, for which the first 
settlers of any country are usually noted, and 
he has contributed his full share towards the 
subduing and civilizing of this section. 

In 1864 he married Miss Ellen Artheion, 
a native of Iowa, who died in 1873. Of this 
marriage five children were born, three of 
whom are still living: Carrie, wife of John 
Savage; Charles, a farmer; and Dwight, also 
a farmer. Mr. Marcy was again married, in 
1875, tli^ ''^'^y being j\Irs. Emma Lilly, iicc 
Campbell, a native of New Jersey, and they 
are the parents of six living children: Char- 
lotte, now Mrs. Herman Flaherty; ]\Iartin, 
May jNL, Nellie C, Pearlie P. and George W. ; 
also of one named Claude, deceased. 



CHARLES ACHERMANN is a native of 
Switzerland, born in 1870. When twelve years 
old he went to France, where he remained for 
the ensuing eleven years, coming then to Amer- 
ica, the date of his arrival being 1893. He 
located first in Coolman, Alabama, remaining, 
however, only a brief period. From that lo- 
cality he went to St. Helena, California, where 
for three and a half years he was engaged in 
the manufacture of wines, thereafter coming 
to Walla ^\'alla. Shortly subsequent to his ar- 
rival here he engaged in the wholesale wine 



and li<iu<ir business with Alfred Bachtold, like 
whom he is, in being energetic and progressive 
He aftlliates with the Red Men, the Sons of 
Herman and the Maennerchor. He manifests 
his local patriotism by taking an active interest 
ii' the \'olunteer fire department. 



WILLIAM A. CLARK, a dairy farmer, 
seven miles southwest of Walla Walla, was 
born in Missouri August 10, 1850. His father 
died when he was eight years old, and when 
he reached the age of fifteen he and his mother 
started across the plains with ox-teams to the 
west. Mr. Clark, though so young, made the 
entire trip on foot, driving the oxen all the 
v/a}'. In their train were one himdred wagons, 
so that, though they were compelled to sustain 
a running fight with the Indians all through 
the journey, they were too strong to be closed 
ir by their enemies. They settled first on Dry 
creek, this county, in the fall of 1865, rented 
land and began farming, but later they moved 
to Pine creek, where they had bought a small 
place. 

Having disposed of this shortly afterwards, 
tb.ey returned to Dry creek and purchased two 
hundred and sixty-five acres, which was their 
home until Mr. Clark bought his present forty- 
seven-and-one-half-acre tract. He is also the 
owner of a quarter-section of land on Blue 
mountain, which he took as a homestead that 
he might have a pasture for his cattle, of which 
he has a fine band, all shorthorn Divrham stock. 
He gives the major part of his attention to the 
dairv business. ]\Ir. Clark has never been 
troubled in the least by Indians since settling 
in the valley, though during the war of 1878 
he thought best to send his family to Walla 
Walla. He himself remained on his farm. 

Our subject has long been one of the repre- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY 



367 



sentative men of his neighhorlKKHl, taking a 
very deep interest in everything which promised 
to iiromote the general welfare. His interest 
in the cause of education is evinced by the fact 
th.at for nine years he was director in the Couse 
creek district. He was married, in this coun- 
ty. July 3, 1873, to jNIiss Eliza P. Kinney, a 
native of JNIinnesota, whose parents were pio- 
neers of 1859. They have seven children liv- 
ing : Eva, wife of J. L. Rogers ; Myrtle, Willie, 
Louis, Elizabeth. Josephine, and one born Jan- 
uary 16, 1901, not yet named; also four de- 
ceased, — Edwin, Dora. Millie and Bessie. 

Mr. Clark's mother, Mrs. Cyntha Clark, 
was born in Madison county, Kentucky, Jan- 
uary 7, 181 1, and is still living and in good 
health, though over ninety years old. At pres- 
ent she is residing with her daughter, Mrs. 
Mildred Swaggart, at Heppner, Oregon. She 
is one of the earliest and most highly and uni- 
formly respected pioneers of this section and is 
affectionately called "Grandma" by all her ac- 
quaintances far and near. When the Methodist 
Episcopal church was divided by the forma- 
tion of the Methodist Episcopal church. South, 
she, though she had been reared in that de- 
nomination, withdrew her membership and 
joined the Baptist church, of which she has 
ever since been a faithful and consistent 
member. 



JOPIN H. HODGIS. a native of Walla 
Walla, was born March 2. 1863. He received 
such education as the primitive schools of the 
pioneer town afforded, then turned his atten- 
tion to steamboating. For a number of years 
he was captain of steam vessels on the Colum- 
bia river, and he also spent much time as an 
engineer on steamboats on Puget Sound. For 
the past two years, however, he was engaged 



in farming in the vicinity of Walla \\"alla, but 
at present is li\-ing a retired life. He is identi- 
fied with the A. O. U. W. of that city. On 
October 2, 1890, he was married, in King 
county, this state, to Mary Christman, a na- 
tive of Oregon. 

Mr. Hodgis' father, Hemen M., a native 
of Michigan, born in 1831, crossed the plains 
in 1857 as captain of a w-agon team, becom- 
ing identified with the town of Walla Walla the 
following year. He was quite prominent and 
active in the early political history of the city, 
filling several county and local offices. In 1857 
he was married, in Linn county, Oregon, to 
Miss Irene Havird, who died in 1869, and lies 
buried in the Whitman Mission. Mr. Hodgis 
passed away in 1881, leaving four children, — 
Mary E., wife of W. H. Johnson, of Wallula ; 
John H., whose name heads this article; Ida 
S., Avife of William Hufif; and Emma I., wife 
of F. D. Sharp, a farmer near Prescott. 



CHARLES E. GHOLSON, a farmer and 
fruit dryer, residing seven miles southwest of 
Walla Walla, was born in this city March 20, 
1875. He has passed his entire life thus far 
in this county, receiving his education in the 
public schools and in Empire Business College, 
of Walla Walla. As soon as he had finished 
his course of business training he assumed 
charge of his father's farm, of w-hich he is now 
the owner, having purchased it in 1896. He 
is also interested in a fruit drier, which he and 
his father erected together in that year, and 
which has a capacity of three tons daily. The 
drier is constantly rushed in the effort to handle 
the large quantities of fruit which are brought 
to it. 

Mr. Gholson, as might be supposed from 



368 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



what lias lieeii already recorded, gives the 
major part of his attention to fruit raising and 
drying, and to finding markets for the products 
in eastern cities, but he is also interested in rais- 
ing hay and dairy cattle. He is the owner of 
a beautiful herd of Jerseys, consisting of forty 
head, principally thoroughbreds. For a young 
man, Mr. Gholson is displaying remarkable en- 
ergy, good judgment and business ability, and 
he has already given earnest of becoming one 
of the leading fruit raisers and handlers in the 
Liland Empire. He is quite interested in pol- 
itics, too, and in the recent campaign was active 
in the counsels of the Democratic party, to 
whose county convention he was a delegate. 
He married, in Walla Walla, in 1895, Miss 
IMary McEvoy, a pioneer of the valley, and a 
graduate of the Catholic college established in 
this city. They have two children, Ralph W. 
and Marion. 

Note. — On October 2, 1900, since the above 
was written, our subject's fruit drier and the 
entire year's product were destroyed by fire, 
but with his characteristic energy he at once 
began planning for the erection of a new drier 
in the early spring. He also recently purchased 
the livery business of the Cummins Bros., at 
318 West Main street, and is conducting this 
new business on plans that insure success. 



JOHN BACHTOLD, 124 W. Main street. 
Walla ^^'a]la, was born in Switzerland in 
1865, but emigrated to America when only 
fourteen years old. For nine years after his 
arrival in the new world he followed farming 
ir South Dakota. He then removed to Gray's 
Harbor, \\'ashington, where for the ensuing 
two years he was clerk in a Imtel. The next 
year he was projirietor of a hotel at Oswego, 



Oregon, but in iSgo he came to ^^'alla Walla 
and opened a restaurant. The following year 
he opened his present establishment, and his 
energies have been given to it continuously 
since. His interest in the city's welfare is man- 
ifested by the intense actixity he displays in 
maintaining the efficiency of the volunteer fire 
department, of which he is president. He is 
acti\e in fraternal circles also, being identified 
with the Red Men, the A. O. U. W., the For- 
esters, the Eagles, the Sons of Herman and. 
the ]\Iaennerchor. He was married in Gray's 
Harbor, in 1892, to Miss Annie Schwich, and 
to their union have been born three children, 
Ida, Annie and George. 



THOMAS QUINN, deceased, was a native 
of Toronto, Canada, born March 7, 1837. He 
lived in his fatherland until twenty-five, re- 
ce'ving the advantage of the excellent public 
schools for which that province is noted and 
also learning the trade of a harness-maker. 
He tlien remo\-ed to California, going liy way 
of the isthmus, and followed his handicraft 
there for some time. Subsequently, however, 
he came to Walla Walla. He worked here two 
years as a journeyman, then started m business 
for himself and continued to devote his energies 
to the development and extending of his trade 
until the time of his death. 

yiv. Ouinn was a true friend of the city, 
and took a lively interest in all local afYairs. 
For two terms he was a member of the city 
council and discharged his duties as such faitli- 
fully, conscientiously and with an eye single to 
the city's welfare. He further demonstrated 
his interest in Walla Walla by serving as a 
volunteer fireman in the early days. For many 
years he was afiiliated with the I. O. O. F.. 




\^«^ 



V 



^.,'■^■ 




THOMAS QUINN 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



369 



but at the time of his death he Ijcloiiged only 
to the Catholic Knights of America. He was 
married in Walla Walla, in i868', to Clara 
Paris, and to them were born nii:e children, 
namely : Joseph, deceased ; Teresa, deceased ; 
Thomas, now in charge of his father's store; 
Catherine, deceased; John, also in the store; 
William, Albert, Edward and Clara. Mrs. 
Quinn has been a resident of Walla Walla for 
thirty-four years. 

At Air. Quinn's death the entire estate came 
to Mrs. Quinn and she has ever since conducted 
the business left her by her husband in a most 
successful manner. She has i^lways, however, 
retained her eldest living son, Thomas, in her 
employ as manager of the store. 



ALVIN BOSTON, dentist, 27 West Main 
street, was born in Hartland, Maine, in 1857. 
He acquired his early education in that city 
and in Boston, but in 1879 came out to The 
Dalles, Oregon, where for about two years he 
was engaged in a general stock raising and 
handling industry. He subsequently began 
the study of dentistry, and in the spring of 
1881 opened offices for the practice of that 
profession at Lone Rock, Fossil and Heppner, 
Oregon. He afterwards came to Colfax, 
where for nine years he maintained dental 
parlors. Seized with a desire to try his hand 
at mining, he then went to the Coeur d'Alene 
country, and during the next six years he was 
engaged there in the search for hidden treas- 
ures. At the end of that time he came to 
Walla Walla, and again took up the practice 
of his profession. He enjoys quite an exten- 
sive patronage, being looked upon as one of 
the leading dental surgeons of the city. He 

is a stockholder in the Building and Loan 
24 "= 



Association of Butte, Montana, Portland, 
Oregon, and Walla Walla. In fraternal affili- 
ations he is an Odd Fellow, a Forester and 
a member of the Woodmen of the World. 
He was married in Idaho, in 1894, to Miss 
May Anger, a native of Hancock, Michigan. 



VALENTINE WILSON, a farmer at 
Waitsburg, is a native of Virginia, born 
October 10, 1829. He was, however, reared 
and educated in Hancock county, Illinois, 
whither his parents took him when seven 
years old. After leaving school he clerked 
a while, then farmed two years, but in 1852 
he started across the plains with ox-teams, 
determined to try his fortune in California. 
For two years he tried mining, then, in 1854, 
went to Suisun valley and resumed his for- 
mer occupation of farming. Three years were 
given to that industry and three to the livery 
business, then he sold out and took a trip east 
in a steamer, via Panama, visiting Havana, 
also New Orleans, and all Mississippi river 
points as far north as Quincy, Illinois. 

Returning to Suisun City, California, after 
fourteen months absence, he secured stock in 
the City Water Works Company, and con- 
tinued in that business for nine years. He 
was also quite active, during this period, in 
political and semi-political matters, and held 
dilTerent positions, such as road master, con- 
stable, deputy sheriff and tax collector. In 
1871 he removed to Two Rocks, California, 
where for the third time in his life he en- 
gaged in farming, an occupation to which his 
energies were thereafter given uninterrupted- 
ly for about seven years. The needs of a 
growing family then compelled him to seek 
better school advantages, so he spent a few 



370 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



years in Bloomfield and Santa Rosa, that his 
cliildren niigiit become thoroughly educated. 

In September. 1881, he came to Waits- 
burg. Washington, took up land and again 
engaged in farming and stock raising. He 
was for many years one of the most enter- 
prising and progressive agriculturists of his 
neighborhood, though he did not farm quite 
as extensively as some. Of late years, how- 
ever, he has been living a retired life. 

Mr. Wilson was married in Illinois March 
28, i860, to Miss Eliza A. Tracy, a native 
of Ohio, and their union has been blest by 
the advent of nine children : Dr. George B., 
at Pullman, Washington; Albert C. ; Isaac E. ; 
Luella, deceased; Valentine L. ; Gaston; Stella 
M. ; Walter, deceased ; and Harmon. 



THOMPSON M. McKINNEY.— Prom- 
inent among the rising young attorneys of 
the county, and high in the esteem and regard 
of all of his fellow townspeople, stands the 
man whose name initiates this sketch. His 
naturally fine intellectual endowments have 
been fully developed by years of faithful and 
patient study, and he needs but the added ex- 
perience and prestige which come only with 
greater age to place him among the leading 
barristers of the Inland Empire. 

Born in Butler county, Pennsylvania, on 
July 8, 1865, he was reared and educated in 
his native state, receiving the advantages of 
West Sunbury Academy, from which he grad- 
uated in 1885, and of Westminster College, 
at New Wilmington, which conferred upon 
him the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 18S9. 
Immediately after graduation he set out 
for the west, believing that it offered greater 
advantages for a voung man of education 



and ability than were to be had in the older 
civilization of his native state. He settled in 
Waitsburg,- where his services were soon called 
into requisition by the Waitsburg Academy, 
but his inclination led him to seek entrance to 
a profession opening a wider sphere of activ- 
ity to an ambitious person than is to be found 
in the school room or the professor's chair. 
Accordingly he went to Spokane, entered the 
office of Henley & Scott, one of tlie leading 
firms of that city, and began vigorously the 
study of law. In 1892 he was admitted to 
the bar of the state, and he at once opened 
an office in the city in which he had received 
his legal education. He practiced there until 
December, 1894, then decided to try his for- 
tune in the town to which he had first come 
after arriving in the state. He opened a law 
office there and began building up the desira- 
ble and lucraiive practice he now enjoys. He 
is a leading man in politics, and is active in 
promoting in every way possible the best in- 
terests of his town and county. Between the 
years 1895 and 1898 he served as city attor- 
ney and city clerk of Waitsburg, and in 1900 
he was the nominee of his party, the Demo- 
cratic, for the office of prosecuting attorney, 
but, with most other Democratic nominees, 
was defeated. The majority received by his 
opponent was, however, very small. 

Though deeply devoted to his business, 
Mr. McKinney recognizes the fact that in 
times of need or danger his first duty is to 
the dag that protects him, and accordingly, 
when the war with Spain broke out he quickly 
responded to the call of patriotism, and en- 
listed as sergeant of Company K, First Wash- 
ington Volunteers. He accompanied his regi- 
ment on all marches, and was found at his 
post of duty in every battle in which the First 
Washington participated. When the regiment 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



0/ 



Avas finally mustered out he returned to Waits- 
burg, and to his practice of law. 

JMr. IMcKinney is quite a leader in frater- 
nal circles, being a member of Touchet Lodge, 
No. 5, L O. O. F., of which he is noble grand ; 
of Delta Lodge, No. 70, K. of P., of which 
he is chancellor commander ; and of Occidental 
Lodge, No. 8, A. O. U. \\\ He also be- 
longs to all the societies auxiliary to the or- 
ders above mentioned. 



CHARLES -M. TAYLOR.— Among those 
who have attained marked success in agricult- 
ural pursuits, and who have by their industry 
and toil forced the rich Walla Walla valley to 
bring forth the bountiful harvests of which it 
is capable, the subject of this brief sketch de- 
serves an honored place. His early educational 
advantages were not such as to develop the 
]X)wers of his mind to their fullest extent, but 
were sufficient to prepare him for success in 
the line of activity in which he has engaged. 
Furthermore, he always possessed a degree of 
hard common sense anrl inherent force of char- 
acter which, for all practical purposes, are often 
better than scholastic training. 

Born in Johnson county, Missouri, January 
10. 1859, he grew to man's estate on a farm in 
that locality, and busied himself in assisting 
with the farm work when not attending the 
district school. On attaining his majority he 
came direct to Waitsburg, where for about two 
years he followed railroading, but he soon de- 
cided to go back to the business he had fol- 
lowed in his boyhood, so, renting a tract of 
land, he began farming, and so successful was 
he that before long he had saved enough to 
purchase land for himself. He has been adding 
to his original home from time to time since 



until he is now the owner of a very large farm 
in the vicinity of Waitsburg. He and his 
l)rothers cultivate about twenty-eight hundred 
acres, raising wheat mostly, though they also 
have considerable stock. 

Mr. Taylor is considered one of the repre- 
sentati\e men of his community, and is quite 
active in promoting every enterprise which 
tends toward the general progress and the 
amelioration of conditions. At present he is 
serving as a member of the city council. He 
is a member of and noble grand in Touchet 
Lodge, No. 5. L O. O. F., also belongs to Oc- 
cidental Lodge, No. II, A. O. U. W., and to 
the ladies' au.xiliaries of both these fraternities. 
He was married in Missouri, February 5, 1880, 
to Miss Nannie E. White, a native of that state, 
and their union has been blest by the advent 
of one daughter, Estella M. 

Mr. Taylor's father, Simon, who was born 
ir We.st Virginia in 1823, died in Walla Walla 
county in July, 1899, but his mother, Harriet, 
is still living and resides at Waitsburg. She 
also is a daughter of West Virginia, born in 
1839. She has five sons living, all of whom 
are residents of Waitsburg, namely : Charles 
M.. ^^'illiam M.. John F., Garland B. and 
James W. She also had one daughter, Hen- 
rietta, afterwards Mrs. Francis M. Wooldridge, 
who died in Missouri in June, 1900. 



JOHN H. HARER, a farmer residing 
near Whitman Chapel, six miles southwest of 
Walla Walla, a pioneer of 1865, was born in 
Lane county, Oregon, February 25, 1859. 
He was, however, reared and educated in this 
valley, having been brought here by his parents 
when six years old. After leaving school he 
was engaged in farming and sheep and cattle 



372 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



raising with his father until the Litter's death, 
which occurred in June, 1883, but he then re- 
moved to Umatilla county, Oregon, where he 
followed the same occupation until 1887. 

Returning in that year to his father's 
place near Valley Chapel, Mr. Harer farmed 
the entire estate until, in 1890, it was divided 
among the heirs, then he moved onto his own 
portion, consisting of one hundred and thirty 
acres, upon which he is now raising timothy 
and alfalfa hay. His home is within sight of 
the place on which the Whitman massacre oc- 
curred, and is less than a mile distant from 
that historic spot. His own family have seen 
their share of the unromantic side of pioneer 
life, being compelled to move into Walla 
Walla for safety during the war of 1878. 
Nor was danger from Indians the only draw- 
back to life in an uncivilized region. Trans- 
portation facilities \vere wholly lacking, and 
as late as 1882 Mr. Harer had to drive his 
stock from Oregon and Washington all the 
way to Wyoming and Colorado before they 
could be loaded on board the cars for trans- 
portation to the eastern markets. But the 
pioneers were a dauntless, hardy, persevering 
race, and finally conquered in spite of every 
difficulty. 

Mr. Harer was married in Walla Walla 
county February 15, 1892, to Miss Eva Wat- 
erman, a native of the valley, and they are the 
parents of two children, Inez U. and Bertha. 
fThe family belong to the Christian church of 
Walla Walla. 

Mr. Harer's father, David, was born in 
Arkansas in 1820, and resided in that state 
until 1852, when he crossed the plains by ox- 
teams to the vicinity of Eugene, Lane coun- 
ty, Oregon. In 1861 he drove his salable 
stock of sheep and cattle into Walla Walla, 
and thence to the mining regions of Oregon 



and Idaho, and in 1864 he returned to Walla 
Walla, that he might open a meat market 
there. He maintained this until 1872, then, 
sold out to Kirkliam & Dooley, and gave his 
entire attention to stock buying, going to 
Kansas and Texas for that purpose and driv- 
ing his herds when purchased into Wyoming.' 
As before stated, he died in 1883, but his 
widow still lives and resides with her son 
John H. Though in her eighty-third year, 
she is hale and hearty, and as happy as any of 
her little grandchildren, whom she strives to 
amuse. 

Mrs. John H. Harer's parents were also 
among the earliest pioneers of the west, hav- 
ing crossed the plains from Iowa in 1859. 
They lived a short time in California at first, 
then for many years were identified with the 
development of Walla Walla valley. 



ROBERT BURNS, general agent of the 
freight and passenger departments of the 
Oregon Railway & Navigation Company, is 
a native of Hamilton, Ontario, born in i860. 
He lived in his fatherland until fifteen years 
old, receiving his education in the public 
schools and in a collegiate institute, gradu- 
ating from the latter. He learned telegraphy 
in St. Thomas, Ontario, and when competent 
accepted an agency on the Canada Southern, 
with which company he remained five years, 
eventually leaving that he might accept a like 
position with the Detroit, Grand Haven & 
Milwaukee Railway Company, by which he 
was employed a year. 

Since that time Mr. Burns has been identi- 
fied with railway development and operation 
in the west. He has served the Union Pa- 
cific Railroad Company in one capacity or an- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



373 



other for the past eighteen years, and at pres- 
ent is in the employ of the Oregon Railway 
& Navigation Company, an affihated Hne, as 
general agent in their freight and passenger 
department. 

Mr. Burns has devoted his entire life, since 
he became old enough for any kind of business, 
to railroad work, and has that mastery of tha 
details of that intricate and complex occupa- 
tion which can be attained in no other w^y 
than by assiduous effort for many years. He 
is one of the most valued and trusted em- 
ployes in the service of the company. As a 
man among men, also, Mr. Burns' standing 
is of the highest. He is affiliated with the 
Masonic order, in which he is quite promi- 
nent, being a Knight Templar, and he also be- 
longs to the Elks fraternity. In Glendale, 
Montana, on December lo, 1885, our subject 
married Louise Whitney, a native of Utah, 
and they have one child, Lewis A. 



EMERSON L. WHEELER.— No line of 
enterprise in which a young man may engage 
offers better opportunities for exerting a pow- 
erful influence for good in the community 
than journalism. The orator holds his audi- 
ence spell-bound by the beauty and force of 
his diction and the magnetic influence of his 
personality, l)ut his words can reach only a 
few hundreds or thousands, while the influ- 
ence of the press goes wherever the mails go, 
and reaches even to the humblest dwellers in 
the humblest homes of our land. It must 
follow, then, "as the night the day," that a 
calling thus potential in moukling the opin- 
ions and sentiments of a community is worthy 
the best talent which can be found anywhere, 
and it is pleasing to see young men of as fine 



intellectual powers and as bright prospects as 
is he whose name initiates this sketch engaged 
in such an important profession. 

Our subject is quite a young man, having 
been born March 22, 1878, but he has already 
been a leader of public thought and a moulder 
of public opinion for nearly a decade. His 
entire life thus far has been passed in Waits- 
burg, and' in the public schools of that town 
and in Waitsburg Academy he received his 
education. After retiring from school he 
taught a year, then became editor of the Waits- 
burg Times. His paper, like many other im- 
portant enterprises, had an humble beginning, 
but it has steadily advanced in power and in- 
fluence, keeping pace with the development of 
the town and cuunty, nay, rather taking a po- 
sition in the advance guard of the progressive 
forces which have wrought that development, 
and contributing a lion's share toward the 
general progress. 

Mr. Wheeler is a member of Delta Lodge, 
No. 70, K. of P. He is possessed of exceK 
lent musical talents, and for several years has 
been president and manager of the Waitsburg 
Military band. He was married in his home 
town, June 5, 1900, to Miss Myrtle Duncan, 
a nati\'e of California. 



IWA S.. MOLKINS, a farmer on Whit- 
man road, five miles west of Walla Walla, a 
pioneer of 1871, was born in Des Moines 
county, Iowa, on September 4, 1855. He lived 
there imtil the spring of 1864, then accom- 
jianied his parents on the long journey across 
the plains with ox-teams to Yamhill county, 
Oregon, where he lived about six years, work- 
ing on his father's farm and attending public 
school. In 1871 the family moved to what 



374 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



is now known as College Place, on the old 
Daniel Stewart farm, and the father took a 
homestead near Dayton, onto which he moved 
his wife and children in 1872. They were en- 
gaged in raising grain there for the ne.xt ten 
years, but in 1882 they sold out and removed 
to the vicinity of Rathdrum, Idahc, whither 
our subject had gone the year before. Both 
father and son were engaged in farming for 
about four years, but on April I2; 1886, the 
old gentleman died. 

Mr. ;\Iolkins had taken a homestead beside 
the father's place in 1882, and after the death 
of the latter, having been appointed adminis- 
trator of the estate, he farmed both places. 
In 1895 he sold t)ut and returned to the val- 
ley, where he has ever since resided. He is 
a thrifty, progressive farmer, and one of the 
most highly esteemed and respected citizens 
of his part of the county. ^Ir. Molkins was 
married in Rathdrum, Idaho, October 12, 
1890, to Miss Mary E. Adkins, a native of 
Missouri and a pioneer of Idaho. They have 
four children, Arthur \\'., Wayne E., Henry 
Clay and Lester. 

ilr. ]\iolkins was traveling alone on the 
road to Lewiston the day the great battle was 
fought between the volunteers and the Indians 
on Camas Prairie, but got through without 
molestation, and helped to guard the town that 
night. 



FRAX'CIS G. H.\RT, a miner, is a na- 
tive of Xew York, born October 19, 1832. 
He livetl in the state of his nativity until about 
twenty years old, receiving a public-school 
education, then came by steamer to San Fran- 
cisco, whence be went into the mining region. 
He was there for six years, engaged in a 



search for hidden treasure, l)ut later came to 
Oregon and tcjok charge of a stage line from 
Jacksonville to Roseburg. 

In 1866 he came to Lewiston, Idaho, 
where for two years lie devoted his energies 
to carrying express packages on horseback 
from Lewiston to Warren's for the Wells- 
Fargo Express Company. 

In 1869 he embarked in a livery lousiness 
in Waitsburg, and his time was thus occupied 
until 1895, when he accepted a position as 
superintendent for a mining company operat- 
ing in the Okanogan mining region, in whose 
employ he has continued ever since. Mr. Hart 
is a man of unusual ability, as is evinced by 
the fact that he has been uniformly successful 
both in business and as a mining expert. 

He was married in 1863 to Miss Isabella 
M. Thorm, a native of Iowa, born in March, 
1844. ^^'hen nine years old she made the 
long trip across the plains to Oregon, and in 
Douglas county, that state, she grew to wo- 
manhood and was educated. She and Mr. 
Hart are parents of five living children, Adel- 
bert, Edward, Fred G., Charles A. and Harry 
H. The family reside in their own comforta- 
ble home in Waitsbura:. 



HON. JOHN F. BREWER, member of 
the Walla Walla city council, was born in 
Scotland county, Missouri, November 9, 
1842. When ten years old he crossed the 
plains with ox-teams, arri\ing in Salem, Ore- 
gon, in 1853, after a six months' journey. 
He had attended the public schools for sev- 
eral years in his native state, and he continued 
his education in his new home, completing the 
common-school course and taking a term in 
Sublimity College. For the first five years 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



375. 



after leaving the college he was engaged in 
teaching. In 187 1 he came to Walla Walla 
county, but before long he received employ- 
ment as a teacher in Umatilla county, Ore- 
gon, just across the line. The following 
spring he went to \\'hitman county and lo- 
cated as a homestead the site of the present 
town of Garfield, but the next fall he was 
called back to the school he had taught the 
preceding winter. He had been elected as- 
sessor of Whitman county, but thought best 
not to qualify. 

For the ensuing three years Mr. Brewer 
followed the teaching profession in the vicin- 
ity of Walla Walla, but in 1876 he purchased 
land and turned his attention to farming, a 
business which has engaged the greater por- 
tion of his energies ever since. He was, how- 
ever, a resident of Seattle most of the time 
during the seven years prior to 1897, and 
while there gave much attention to the real 
estate business, though without neglecting his 
farming interests. He is now the owner of 
a section of fine land in this county, and takes 
rank among the most successful and enter- 
prising farmers of this section. 

In political matters our subject has long 
been a leader. He served in the city council 
as early as 1889, and in 1898 he was again 
called upon to assume the duties of that office. 
His popularity as a councilman may be judged 
from the fact that in the present year he was 
re-elected. Indeed, he has had experience 
enough in municipal government to render 
him very expert in- that difficult branch of 
civil administration, having also served as 
councilman in Seattle for four years. He was 
also a member of the board of education in the 
same city for two years, resigning the latter 
office when he returned to Walla Walla in 
1897. In 1884 he was elected to the terri- 



torial legislature from Walla Walla county, 
and he served as its representative during 
the session of 1885-1886, displaying much 
political acumen and legislative ability. His 
reputation as a man and a citizen is most flat- 
tering wherever he is known. In fraternal 
affiliations he is prominently connected with 
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the 
Knights of Pythias, the Ancient Order of 
United Workmen, and the Royal Arcanum. 
In JNIarion county, Oregon, March 31, 
1872, Mr. Brewer married Adora B. Stan- 
ton, a native of that state, and to their union 
have been born eight children: John W., mail 
carrier; Merton E., bookkeeper; B. Frank, 
clerk in the City drug store; M. Maude, Ber- 
tha A., Adora B., Rob Roy and Lula ]\Iay. 



CHARLES B. PRESTON.— -\mong the 
young men who have been born, reared and 
educated in the thriving town of Waitsburg, 
and who, by their industry and business abil- 
ity, have reflected credit upon the place of 
their nativity and the home of their child- 
hood, Mr. Preston is deserving of special men- 
tion. He was born on the nth of September, 
1877, ^""J; ^s soon as he became old enough, 
entered the public schools of his native town. 
He was, however, too ambitious to be content 
with a common-school education, and did not 
allow the attractions of commercial life to lure 
him from school until he had completed a 
thorougli course in Waitsburg Academy. He 
then engaged with his father in the latter'S 
flouring mill, and has ever since contributed! 
largely to the success and prestige of the busi- 
ness. Being a young man of excellent intel- 
lectual development and good executive abil- 
ity, he i)romises in due time to become one 
of the leading business men of the town. 



376 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Li his fraternal affiliations Mr. Preston is 
a member of Enterprise Camp, No. 5209, M. 
\\'. A. Li Walla Walla, October 12,1898, he 
married Miss Virgie Nelson, daughter of 
James E. Nelson, who is one of the early and 
respected pioneers of the coast. Mr. Pres- 
ton's father is also a pioneer, and has long been 
a leader in the industrial development of 
W'aitsbury. 



WILLL-VM KIRKMAN, deceased, was a 
native of England, born December 7, 1831. 
In 1 85 1 he emigrated to Boston, Massachusetts, 
and the next year he removed to San Francisco, 
^■ia the isthmus. For a time he followed min- 
ing, but he soon took to the sea and made a 
trip on a sailing vessel to Australia and the 
Sandwich Islands. On his return he joined an 
expedition to the Eraser river country. For 
four years he remained under the British flag, 
meeting with varied fortunes and some thrilling 
ad\-entures. In i860 high water carried away 
a bridge belonging to him and left him finan- 
cially at the foot of the ladder t) start life 
again, shadowed by heavy indebtedness. In 
1862 he returned to San Francisco and the 
following year purchased cattle on the Umpqua 
river for the Boise (Idaho) market. He re- 
mained in Idaho until 1S65, engaged in the 
stock business, with a meat market at Pioneer 
City. In 1866 he took an eighty-mule pack 
train of goods from Walla W^alla to Montana, 
w-here he disposed of all and became interested 
in a milk ranch. He prosecuted the dairy busi- 
ness for six months there, then returned to 
San Francisco, California, whence a year later 
lie came to Walla Walla. 

Here, in company with Mr. John Dooley, 
he engaged extensively in stock-raising, and 
the meat market business, a line which he fol- 



lowed successfully for many years afterwards. 
About 1890 he purchased the interest of Mr. 
Dooley and formed a corporation known as 
the Walla W'alla Dressed Meat Company, of 
which he was president. He also gave a por- 
tion of his attention to the real estate business. 
Scon, however, failing health compelled him to 
seek a change of environment, so he went back 
to Europe. He died near St. Paul while re- 
turning home, April 25, 1893. 

A natural leader, 'Mr. Kirkman exerted a 
powerful influence in the development of Walla 
Walla, and few of her public enterprises have 
not benefited by his encouragement and support. 
He was president and one of the founders of 
the W^alla Walla Club and one of the directors 
of Whitman College, to which latter institu- 
tion he bequeathed five thousand dollars. His 
interest in education was further testified by 
the faithfulness with which for several years 
he discharged the duties of school director in 
his district. He was also a leader in the Re- 
publican party, serving as a delegate to the 
Minneapolis convention, and on the Notifica- 
tion committee of 1892. 

Mr. Kirkman was married in San Fran- 
cisco, February 4, 1867, to Miss Isabella Potts, 
a native of Ireland, and they have four living 
children: \\'illiam H.. an attorney at Walla 
Walla; Fannie, now wife of Allen H. Rey- 
nolds; Myrtle B. and Leslie Gilmore. Their 
deceased children are George D., Agnes A., 
Robert J., Grace F., Mabel and Dasie. 



ELIJAH INGLE, a fruit grower and 
farmer on the state road, five miles southwest 
of Walla Walla, a pioneer of September, 1862, 
was born in Henry county, Kentucky, April 
23, 1824. He was left an orphan in early in- 




WILLIAM KIRKMAN. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



377 



fancy, and was reared by an uncle, who took 
him to Illinois when he was seven years old. 
He received a public-school education in Ed- 
gar county, that state, then worked on a farm 
until twenty-one, after which he started farm- 
ing for himself. He followed that industry 
renting land for the purpose, for a number 
of years, then removed to Iowa, where he 
was engaged in the same occupation ten years 
longer. 

In 1862 Mr. Ingle started to California, 
but so many of the train to which he belonged 
were coming to this valley that by the time 
they reached Green river he had decided to 
come along, too. Arriving here in Septem- 
ber, he rented land one year, then purchased 
a squatter's right to the place on which we 
now find him, and which he took as a home- 
stead as soon as the survey had been made. 
He kept increasing his holdings until he be- 
came the owner of five hundred acres, but in 
later years he sold off all but seventy acres. 
Half of this is in orchard and the remainder 
is producing alfalfa hay. Our subject is also 
the owner of some real estate in Milton, Ore- 
gon, and seven acres of highly improved land 
within the city limits of Walla Walla. 

Mr. Ingle has always shown himself a 
public-spirited man, ever ready to do all in his 
power for the promotion of the general wel- 
fare, and considerably interested in local, 
state and national politics. He has served as 
constable two terms and commissioner of his 
own county, Umatilla, one term, but his in- 
terests center rather in Walla \\'alla than in 
any town in his own county. 

While crossing the plains the train to 
which Mr. Ingle belonged was at one time 
hard pressed by Indians, but their safety lay 
in their strength, the train consisting of two 
hundred and ninety-two wagons. Mr. Ingle 



has not, however, experienced any difficulties 
with the aborigines since settling in the val- 
ley, having always treated them kindly and 
received like treatment at their hands. He 
was married in Vermilion county, Illinois, 
on May 5, 1865, to Miss Mary Ann Hanson, 
a native of Virginia, who died in Milton, Ore- 
gon, on July 24, 1879, leaving nine children, 
all of whom are doing well in life. The 
couple also became parents of two children 
now deceased, namely, J. Lemuel and Mel- 
vina. 

Mr. Ingle was married again at Pendle- 
ton, Oregon, on August 5, 1880, the lady be- 
ing Mrs. Amanda McElrath, a native of Ten- 
nessee and a pioneer of this valley of 187S. 



LIEUTENANT THOMAS D. S. HART, 
deputy county auditor, was born in Louisville, 
Kentucky, July 6, 1865. He has, however, 
been a resident of the west nearly all his life, 
having accompanied his parents to Albany, 
Oregon, when only six years old. He ac- 
quired his education in the public schools and 
in Albany College, also learned the printer's 
trade in that city. In 1879 he moved to 
Goldendale, Washington, in which town and 
in North Yakima he passed the ensuing five 
years, his business being printing and news^ 
paper work in general. In 1884, however, 
he became a citizen of Walla Walla, and in 
that city he pursued his calling until 1889, 
when he removed to Seattle. Returnins: in 
1 89 1, he again entered the journalistic pro- 
fession here. In 1900, however, he retired 
temporarily from the pursuit of his vocation 
to accept a position as deputy county auditor, 
a post which he still retains. 

Lieutenant Hart is a very successful news- 



37S 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



paper man. and his work in connection willi 
different periodicals has made liim quite well 
known in many parts of the state. He is, 
iiowever, fully as well known as one who had 
a prominent part in the Philippine war. Leav- 
ing Walla Walla as second lieutenant of Com- 
pany I. he went with them to Camp Rogers, 
thence to San Francisco and thence to the 
scene of hostilities. His company formed a 
part of the first division of General King's 
brigade, commanded by General Anderson. 
Lieutenant tiart was in command of the com- 
pany in every engagement, distinguishing 
himself in the very first encounter with the 
foe, at the battle of Santa Anna, and win- 
ning special mention for meritorious service. 
That his good record was maintained through- 
out succeeding conflicts is evinced by the fact 
that on August 25, 1899, he was promoted 
to the lirst lieutenancy. He returned with his 
company in Noveml)er, 1899, and the follow- 
ing January received the appointment to his 
present situation. He is a prominent and en- 
thusiastic member of the Knights of Pythias, 
being a major in the second regiment, Uni- 
form Rank. He is also, at present, com- 
mander of Henry W. Lawton Camp, Spanish- 
American War Veterans. 

In May, 1896, Lieutenant Hart married, 
in Walla Walla, .Miss Bertha Malone, and to 
their union has been born one child, Arline. 



JAMES W. BRUCE.— Among the enter- 
prising and respected agriculturists and stock 
raisers of the vicinity of Waitsburg Mr. Bruce 
holds a prominent and leading place. He is 
a son of the west, having first opened his eyes 
to the light of day in Oregon, the date of his 
birth being April 17, 1S56. He is one of the 



earliest pioneers of Waitshurg, in fact, he was 
on the site of the town as early as 1861, long 
before the establishment of an organized and 
incorporated town had been thought of. 

He grew to manhood in this locality, re- 
ceiving his education in the Waitsburg schools, 
and wlien he engaged in business for himself 
he naturally drifted into the enterprise which 
his father had followed before him and in 
which he had been reared. He is a man of 
energy and good judgment, thoroughly inter- 
ested in everything pertaining to his business 
and ready to profit by any new method or 
improvement which his own experience or that 
of others may bring to light. At the present 
time he is the owner of a fine fru'ni of about 
a thousand acres, also an elegant brick resi- 
dence in Waitsburg. He is quite prominent 
in fraternal circles, being an active member 
of the United Artisans and the Independent: 
Order of Odd Fellows. 

On November 17, 1885, was solemnized, 
in Columbia county, Washington, the mar- 
riage of our subject and Miss Addie L. Har- 
mon, the latter being a native of Iowa, born 
October 23, 1864. Three children were born 
of this marriage: William E., on September 
18, 1886; Zula E., on Janury 31, 1888; and 
Hobart O., on November 4, 1895. Mr. Bruce 
had been previously married to ]\Iiss Lottie 
M. Seward, the date of their union being in 
-August, 1874, and the issue one daughter, 
Carrie B., now wife of Ralph Lloyd. 

Our subject's fath.er, William P. Ilruce, 
was a \-ery old iiioneer of the west, having 
crossed the plains to Oregon in 1850. In 
1861 he became identified with Waitsburg, of 
which he continued to be a respected and rep- 
resentative citizen until his death, which oc- 
curred November 17, 1888. He was long an 
active worker in the iiolitical campaigns of 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



379 



tlie c(junty, and for some years served on its 
board of county commissioners. IJis widow, 
Caroline Bruce, nee O'Neal, survived him un- 
til January, 189 1, residing on the old home. 
The couple became parents of five children, 
namely: Mary E., widow of the late 11. J. 
Abbey, of Waitsburg; J. W. ; Dora E., wife 
of K. L. Powell, of Spokane; also Edward, 
who was drowned when two years old, and 
John H., who died near Vancouver, Wash- 
ington, in 1898. 

To i\Ir. William P. Bruce belongs the 
honor of pioneership in Waitsburg, he having 
been the man who secured from the govern- 
ment by homestead the place where that city 
now stands, the date of his homestead entry 
being 1863. 



Air. Perkins was married in Waitsburg 
June 15. 1896, to Miss Iny Mitchel, a native 
of Washington, and a member of a pioneer 
family. They have three children, Voyle L., 
Eldon M. and Ethel M. 



PERRY C. PERKINS, a drayman in 
Waitsburg, was born in Iowa December 13, 
1868. He attended the local public school, 
and worked betimes on his father's farm until 
about nineteen, then decided to try his fortune 
in the west. Accordingly he came to this 
county, located at Waitsburg, rented land, and 
began farming. For the ensuing five years 
he was a successful tiller of the soil here, then 
he tried the same occupation in Idaho for a 
year. In 1893, however, he went to Cali- 
fornia, where for about four years he worked 
on the John Bidwell farm, near Chico. Re- 
turning then to Waitsljurg, he engaged in the 
transfer business, and to that he has devoted 
his energies ever since. By his careful atten- 
tion to the interests of his customers and strict 
application to business he is building up a 
very good trade. He is one of the solid and 
substantial men of Waitsburg, and enjoys an 
enviable standing among the people of that 
city. 



DENNIS LA GRAVE, a retired farmer 
residing at College Place, a pioneer of the val- 
ley of 1873, was born in Massena, New York, 
on -May 29, 1844. He resided there, attending 
sch(jol after he became old enough, until sev- 
enteen years old, then enlisted in Company 
A, Ninety-second New York Infantry. He 
remained in the .service until 1864, as a mem- 
ber of that company, then re-enlisted in Com- 
pany F, One Hundred and Ninety-third New 
\'ork Infantry, serving with them till the close 
of the war. He was in the thickest of the 
fight from the first year of the war till the 
last disloyal gun was silenced, and naturally 
participated in some very stubbornly contest- 
ed and sanguinary engagements, among which 
may be mentioned the battles of Mud creek, 
h'air Oaks, Kingston, Whitehall, Goldsboro, 
Kiciimond, Petersburg, Cold Ilarl)or, the cap- 
ture of Fort Harrison, and the seven days' 
fight at Malvern Hill under General McClel- 
lan. He was wounded in the terrible battle 
of C<ild Harbor, where the Union forces lost 
ten thousand men in twenty-two minutes, and 
he was again injured in the .blowing up of 
the mines after the capture of Peterslnu'g. 
His eyes also were permanently injured in 
the service, and have never been strong since. 

Upon being mustered out, in January, 
1866, Mr. La Grave returned to New York 
state and engaged in farming. He followed 
that industry there four years and in Wiscon- 
sin four years more, afterwards coming to 



38o 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



tlie A\'alla \\'alla valley. He took a home- 
stead and pre-emption in what is now Columbia 
county, and farmed there for twenty consecu- 
tive years, but in 1893 sold out, moved to 
College Place, bought a lot containing an acre 
and a quarter, built a comfortable home and 
retired. He is, however, indulging to some 
extent his fancy for mining and has some 
ver}'^ promising gold and silver claims in the 
Okanogan country. 

Mt. La Grave has long been one of the 
solid and substantial men of the west. He is 
a good citizen in every respect, thoroughly 
loyal to the tiag for which he fought so long 
and so well, and ever ready to do what he can 
for the promotion of the general welfare of 
his locality. He is a member of Excelsior 
Post, Grand Army of the Republic, of Day- 
ton. He was married in Eau Claire, Wiscon- 
sin, in April, 1873, to Aliss ^Niary E. Palmer, 
a native of Pennsylvania, and to them have 
been born five children: F. Leslie; Cora E., 
wife of Edward Miley, a mining man in the 
Okanogan; \'erna E. ; Verta E., wife of James 
Granger, of Sumpter, Oregon; and Myrtle. 
Verna and ^lyrtle are still at home with their 
parents. 



J. AI. BALDWIN, formerly superintend- 
ent of the Union Publishing Company's job 
office, at present a partner in the Inland Em- 
pire Printing Company, is a native of the 
west, having been born in \\'alla Walla in 
1870. He is the son of David S. Baldwin, 
a pioneer of 1858. He attended the public 
schools until about sixteen years old, then 
went to The Dalles, Oregon, and engaged in 
the printing business. He worked at his trade 
continuously there until 1892. in which year 
he returned to Walla Walla to accept the po- 



sition on the Union above referred to. This 
he retained until the beginning of 1901, when 
he severed his connection with that paper and, 
in partnership with Messrs. Harris and Arm- 
strong, established an extensive job printing 
concern on the corner of Alder and East 
streets, the firm name being the Inland Em- 
pire Printing Company. They have every 
facility for turning out first-class work with 
quickness and accuracy. In fact, the combina- 
tion of energetic, progressive young men is 
looked upon as one of the strongest in its 
line in the state. 

Air. Baldwin is a very skilled tradesman 
and a thoroughly reliable young man, one 
whose influence in the future will be very 
sensibly felt. In fraternal affiliations he is 
identified with the Woodmen of the World. 



GEORGE A. RULAFORD, a carpenter 
and builder at College Place, a pioneer of the 
valley of 1875, was born in Clark county, 
Ohio, on December 7, 1848. He remained 
in his native town until about eighteen years 
old, acquiring his education in the public 
schools, then learned the trade of a carpenter, 
serving his apprenticeship at Coluinbus, Ohio. 
He afterwards followed his trade in different 
parts of the state until 1868, in which year 
he removed to Colorado City, Colorado, where 
he clerked and worked at his handicraft for 
a couple of 3'ears. Returning to Ohio in 
1870, he followed his trade jthere for five 
years longer, then enlisted in Company L, 
First United States Cavalry. He was sent to 
Fort \\'alla A\'alla and remained there three 
years, going thence to Fort Klamath, Oregon, 
wliere he remained during the rest of his en- 
listment. During the war of 187S the com- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



381 



pany to which he belonged fought many bat- 
tles and sustained heavy losses in killed and 
wounded, but he was not permitted to partici- 
pate, having been selected to remain in charge 
of the company's property at the fort. 

Upon being discharged Mr. Rulaford set- 
tled in Walla Walla. He worked at his trade 
there until 1884, then removed to Medical 
Lake to reap the benefit of the boom. He 
continued in the pursuit of his handicraft there 
for seven years, coming thence to College 
Place, where he has since resided. When he 
came there were only two houses in the vil- 
lage, and he has witnessed its growth from 
that time to the present day. Nor has he 
been in any sense a passive spectator of this 
development, for by far the greater part of 
the houses in the town were built by him. 
He is one of the progressive forces of the 
place and is esteemed as one of its representa- 
tive citizens. 

In Walla Walla, on June 18, 1880, Mr. 
Rulaford married Miss Martha Ford, a na- 
tive of Walla Walla valley and the first white 
girl born in it. They are parents of three 
children, Cecil C, Burnham S. and Ernest E., 
all students in Walla Walla College. The 
family own and occupy a comfortable home 
in the town. 



MARTIN H. HAUBER.— This respected 
pioneer and successful ranchman of the vicin- 
ity of Waitsburg is a native of Indiana, born 
May 7, 1837. He, however, spent most of 
his life before coming west in jNIissouri, to 
which state his parents moved when he was 
about three years old and in which his educa- 
tion was obtained. In 1854 he crossed the 
plains with ox-teams to Benton county, Ore- 



gon, and before he was there a year his serv- 
ices were required in the Rogue river Indian 
war. He continued with the army in volun- 
teer service for about eight months, then re- 
turned to Benton county, whence in 1857 he 
came to Walla Walla. Finding the valley 
an excellent place for cattle raising, he re- 
turned the following year to Oregon, bought 
a number of cattle, brought them here and en- 
gaged quite extensively in the stock business. 
He met with excellent success for several 
years, but the severe winter of 1861-62 caught 
him unprepared for its rigors and he lost prac- 
tically all his herds. He then bought a bunch 
of sheep and turned his attention to that in- 
dustry, continuing in the same for a period of 
fifteen years. 

In 1858 he took a homestead on the 
Touchet river about three miles west of Waits- 
burg, and this afforded him a home and a base 
of operations during the many years in which 
he followed cattle and sheep raising. After 
disposing of his sheep he again engaged in 
the business from which he had been compelled 
to retire on account of his bad fortune in 
1862, and he continued for many years to 
raise and handle large numbers of cattle and 
horses annually, gradually retrenching in this 
direction and giving more and more attention 
to agriculture as the country began to settle 
up, and the range became correspondingly di- 
minished. 

He now has a fine farm of about six hun- 
dred acres, well improved and cultivated, its 
natural fertility fully developed by his skillful 
husbandry. Evidences of his thrift and care- 
ful management are everywhere visible on his 
premises, and he justly ranks among the lead- 
ing farmers in that community. As a man 
and a citizen his standing in the neighborhood 
is of the highest, his life being in all things 



382 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



so ordered as to compel respect and win es- 
teem. 

Tlie marriage of our subject was solem- 
nized in Walla Walla county in 1865, when 
Miss Phebe A. Saylor, a native of Indiana, 
became his wife. The issue of their union was 
seven children : Charles, a physician in Cali- 
fornia ; Kate, wife of E. Allen, in Idaho; 
Dora and Henry, living; also three deceased. 



E. F. BABCOCK. — Prominent in the de- 
velopment of an industry, the importance of 
which t(] the future of the county is as yet 
scarcely realized, is the man whose name gives 
caption to this review. A nurseryman and 
fruit grower from the time he left the parental 
roof to inaugurate independent action, he thor- 
oughly understands everything pertaining to 
the Imsiness, and the county of W'alla Walla is 
especially fortunate in having within its borders 
a man so eminently qualified to give an impetus 
to the fruit raising industry. 

Born in Xew York on the 8th of January, 
1 83 1, he passed his early youth in that state, 
but upon the advent of young manhood he 
removed to Washington, D. C, but it was in 
Rochester. Xew York, that he took his initial 
lessons in the nursery Imsiness. In 1857, he 
migrated to St. Louis, Missouri, and thence to 
Illinois, where he established what is known as 
the St. Clair nursery. He busied himself in 
connection with this until the outbreak of the 
Civil war. when, obedient to the voice of pa- 
triotism, he rallied to the support of the flag. 

Enlisting in Company E. Second Illinois 
Cavalry, he served a year at the front as first 
lieutenant, but he was thereupon sent home on 
recruiting service. He was connected with the 
federal armv until the close of hostilities. Init 



when peace again visited our land, he returned 
to his former home and to his former business. 
He subsequently established nurseries at Mem- 
phis, Tennessee, and in Arkansas. 

While serving as pomologist in the World's 
Fair, in 1893, 1^^ became so impressed with the 
excellent fruit on exhibition in the Washington 
state building and from other Pacific states that 
he decided to try his fortune in the rising 
young commonwealth. Accordingly, he came 
out to \\'alla Walla county. In due time he 
located near Waitsburg and began to employ 
liis herculean energies in the establishment and 
upbuilding of the Columljian orchard and nur- 
sery. He has about ten tin msand trees, bearing 
all the leading varieties of fruits, especially 
high-grade apples, and his nursery stock covers 
fifteen acres of land. We are pleased to record 
that experience has only served to strengthen 
the good opinion he had formed of Washing- 
ton as a fruit country, until he has come to re- 
gard it as without a peer in the world for the 
production of apples. 

Mr. Babcock has for twenty years been re- 
garded as an expert in the art of preparing 
fruit exhibits for expositions. He selected the 
fruit from this state which won second and 
third premiums at the Paris Exposition, also 
made a shipment from his own orchard to Paris 
in September last. Thus he is performing a 
great work for the future of this valley not 
only in assisting to build up the fruit industry 
directly, but in advertising the possibilities of 
the country to the outside world. He also 
won two gold medals for fruit produced in the 
year 1900. 



FRED O. COX. a dairyman and fruit 
grower, residing in ^^'aitsburg, is a native of 
the state of ^^'ashington, born May 22, 1870. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



383 



He was educated in the schools of this county, 
then accepted a position with the Preston- 
Parton Milling Company, for whom he \\oi-ked 
for six consecutive years. He then engaged 
in the business in which we now find him/ 
He gives most attention to small fruits, his 
crop of blackberries in the current year, 1900, 
exceeding live thousand pounds, and of straw- 
berries twenty-five hundred pounds. He has, 
however, a choice lot of pears, apples, plums 
and prunes. His dairy stock consists of fif- 
teen head of Jersey and Durham milch cows. 
Mr. Cox is an energetic man and a suc- 
cessful farmer. He is cpiite comfortably cir- 
cumstanced for a young man, being the owner 
of ten acres of fruit land within the city limits 
of Waitsburg, a fine residence, and other city 
property, in addition to his farm and stock. 
He was married in Waitsburg February 28, 
1893, to Miss Ada Harmon, a native of Ore- 
gon, born April 28, 1874, and they are the 
parents of one son, Merrill, now five years 
old. ]vlr. Cox is a member of the A. O. U. 
\\'., Occidental Lodge, No. 11, and Mrs. Cox 
belongs to the Degree of Honor. 



ROBERT H. JOHNSON, hay and grain 
dealer, 105 North Third street, was born in 
Liverpool, England, in 1861. He received his 
education in that country, but early emigrated 
to America, being only fourteen years old at 
the time of his arrival in the United States. 
He came via Cape Horn in a sailing vessel to 
Portland, Oregon, where for the ensuing 
five years he followed steamboating. He then 
came to Walla Walla, entered the employ of 
Marshall, Jones & Roberts as a hand in their 
machine shops, and established a connection 
with that firm which lasted fourteen years. 



Since retiring from their service he has been 
engaged continuously in the business in which 
we now find him. He handles large quanti- 
ties of grain annually, and keeps constantly 
in operation the electric feed mill, in which all 
kinds of cereal products are ground for fodder. 
Mr. Johnson is an active, enterprising and 
successful business man and the leader in his 
line in Walla Walla. As a citizen his stand- 
ing is of the highest, and though not ambi- 
tious for political honors, or personal prefer- 
ment of any kind, he is one of the great body 
of men who work unostentatiously, but none 
the less effectively, for their own and the com- 
munity's welfare. Fraternally he afiiliates 
with the Elks. He was married in Walla 
Walla in January, 1892, to Kate McGeary, 
daughter of Mrs. Margaret McGeary, one of 
the early settlers of Walla Walla. Their 
union has been blest by the advent of three 
children, Marguerite, Robert and Helen. 



PHILIP A. WILD, farmer, a pioneer of 
the Pacific coast of 1880, is a native of Ray 
county, Missouri, born January 13, 1834. 
^\'hen two years old, he was taken to Grundy 
county, Missouri, where his father followed 
farming and stock raising as a business, and 
where he learned his first lessons in that in- 
dustry. He was educated in the public schools 
and in Grand River College. In 1861, he en- 
listed in Company C, Thirty-fifth Cavalry Mili- 
tia of Missouri for six months' service. At 
the end of his term of enlistment, he returned 
home and raised one crop, then, on September 
10, 1862, again enlisted, becoming a member 
of Company C, Thirty-fifth Missouri Infantry, 
which was in the regular United States service. 
From that time until the close of hostilities he 



384 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Avas engaged constantly in active campaigning. 
He participated in numerous skirmishes and 
battles, among -which was the fierce conflict at 
Helena, Arkansas, July 4, 1864, in which four 
thousand Federals were pitted against twelve 
thousand Confederates. The battle lasted nine 
hours and resulted in a glorious victory for 
the "Boys in Blue." 

After being mustered out at Little Rock, 
Arkansas, on June 10, 1865, Mr. Wild returned 
to his old home and to his former occupation, 
farming, continuing in that until 1880, when 
he came to Umatilla county, Oregon. He filed 
on a homestead there and busied himself in rais- 
ing stock until 1895, when he sold out and 
moved to the vicinity of Starbuck, Columbia 
county, where he farmed until 1897. In that 
year, however, he moved to College Place, pur- 
chased a home, and became a resident of the 
town, and is now one of the reliable and sub- 
stantial men of that neighborhood, highly es- 
teemed and respected by all. 

Our subject was married in Grundy county, 
]\Iissouri, on August 20, 1857, to Miss Mary 
E. Sandlin, a native of Boone county, Indiana. 
who was taken by her parents to Iowa, while 
still a young child. They have seven children 
living: Elsie, now Mrs. James Power, of Pen- 
dleton, Oregon ; John, a farmer in Mercer 
county, Missouri; William H., at Pendleton; 
Sallie, now ]\Irs. John Montgomery, of Pendle- 
ton; Eddie, Rebecca and Charlie M., at home 
with their parents; also two deceased. 



HEXRY J. ABBEY, deceased, was one of 
those sturdy pioneers who have changed the 
primeval Walla Walla valley into well-culti- 
vated fields, and caused its naturally fertile soil 
to "blossom and the rose." He was born in the 



state of New York June 8, 1835. In 1843 ^is 
parents moved to Michigan, where they both 
died, leaving him an orphan at ten years of 
age. He was therefore compelled to support 
himself as best he could without the aid of 
an3-one upon whom he had a natural claim, and 
to acquire unassisted what education he might. 

Of those early struggles but little specific 
information can be gi\'en, but certain it is that 
they developed in him a strong, self-reliant 
character, and a resourcefulness which made 
him the equal of every emergency. 

In 1861 he crossed the plains, traveling in 
the usual primitive fashion of those days, 
namely, \Yith ox-teams. Locating in the Walla 
Walla valley, he engaged in freighting as a 
business, and it fell to his lot to haul the lum- 
ber used in the construction of the first store 
ever erected in Walla Walla, which was built 
by th2 noted Dr. Baker. 

Subsequently he spent three years in the 
Warrens mining region, then ran a ferry at 
Lewiston for two years, after which he re- 
turned to the \alley and settled on a homestead 
three and a half miles northwest of Waitsburg. 
Being a thrifty, enterprising man, he naturally 
extended his realty holdings as time passed, 
eventually becoming the owner of six hundred 
acres, all of which is excellent wheat land. In 
1897 he moved into Waitsburg, where he had 
a fine home, but he was not permitted to long 
enjoy the luxury of retirement, for on Au- 
gust 19 of that year he died, and his remains 
lie buried in the city cemetery. 

Mr. Abbey was married in Waitsburg, No- 
vember 25, 1 871, to ^liss Mary E. Bruce, an 
early pioneer of the county, and to their union 
eight children have been born, namely: Perry 
H.. a merchant in Waitsburg, Oscar W., Caro- 
hne yi. and Bruce, living: and Jennie, Fred- 
eric, Lillian and Henry, deceased. 




HENRY J. ABBEY. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



385 



Mr. Abbey was a communicant in the Meth- 
odist Episcopal church, and Mrs. Abbey also 
belontrs to that denomination. 



WILLL-VM R. JOXES, a retired school 
teacher and merchant, a pioneer of the coast 
of 1864, was born in Green county, Kentucky, 
on November 25, 1840. He was taken by his 
parents to Gentry county, Missouri, in 1846, 
and there acquired his public school education. 
LJpon completing his course he engaged in 
farming, which industry he followed contin- 
uously until 1864, when he crossed the plains 
with ox-teams to Eugene, Oregon. He 
taught in the public schools a year, then 
went to Linn count}', and engaged in the 
pursuit of the same profession. He taught 
there twenty-one terms, afterward removing 
to Whitman county, Washington, where he 
was engaged in public school teaching until 
1885. He then homesteaded one hundred and 
sixty acres of land, and resumed the business 
he had followed in early manhood, namely 
farming. 

In 1 89 1 ]\Ir. Jones sold out and the fol- 
lowing year came to College Place that his 
children might enjoy the advantage of the 
school which was just being estaljlished there. 
He was one of the first settlers in the town 
and helped to survey it and build it up from the 
very foundation. In 1892, the first year the 
college was in operation, he had seven children 
in attendance. In the spring of 1901 the fam- 
ily removed to their farm of one hundred and 
sixty acres eight miles southeast of Dixie, 
where their home now is and where they are 
again engaged in tilling the soil. 

Mr. Jones was married in Scio, Oregon, 
September Q. 1873, to Miss Mary R. Ethel, 

25 



a native of St. Louis, Missouri, -who died in 
September, 1880, leaving two children. On 
November 25, 1885, he was again married, the 
lady being Mrs. Sarah A. Thornton, and to 
this union have been born two children. Mrs. 
Jones also had seven children by her former 
marriage. Her daughter. Miss Minnie Thorn- 
ton, is a medical missionary nurse, having 
completed the course in the Medical Mission- 
ary Training School of Chicago. Mr. Jones 
is a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist 
church, to which he has belonged since 1881, 
and he was clerk of the Farmington church for 
seven years. For the past two years he has 
served as deputy county assessor. 



JACOB F. WEAVER, secretary and treas- 
urer of the Upper Columbia Tract society, re- 
siding af College Place, was born in Illinois, 
March 21, 1865. He attended school there 
from the time he reached school age until he 
was fifteen, then moved with his mother and 
brothers and sisters to Caldwell county, Mis- 
souri, first, however, selling the old homestead 
which his grandfather, Louis Weaver, had 
taken up six years before Springfield, Illinois, 
was founded, and upon which his father, Sam- 
uel, had raised fruit and nursery stock until 
his death, which occurred October 10, 1879. 
Upon arriving in Missouri, Mr. Weaver en- 
gaged in farming and stock raising, remain- 
ing in that industry until 1885, when he re- 
moved to southwestern Kansas. He followed 
the same occupation in the latter state, except 
tliat in winter he also taught school. E\-ent- 
nally coming west, he located at Portland, 
(Oregon, where he accepted a position as super- 
intendent of the large stone quarry. He spent 
a year in that, then in 1892 came as a student 



386 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



to College Place. He studied in Walla Walla 
College for a number of years, and in 1897 
was appointed secretary and treasurer of the 
Upper Columbia Tract society, which position 
he has ever since retained. 

-Mr. \\ea\er is a very acti\-e worker in the 
Seventh-Day Adventist church of College 
Place, of which he has been a deaco:i and elder; 
and to which his entire family belong. He 
was married in Rollins county, Kansas, on De- 
cember 24, 1887, to Miss JNIyrtle Berry, a 
native of Iowa, and they have a family of two 
children, Freddie E. and Eber, both students in 
Walla Walla College. 



Mr. Dunlap is affiliated with the Ancient Or- 
der United Workmen Lodge, No. 79, of Pres- 
cott, and his wife is a member of the Degree 
of Honor, its auxiliary society. 



JOHN K. DUNLAP, a blacksmith at 
Prescott, is a native of Oregon, born Novem- 
ber 19, 1853. After completing his educa- 
tion he engaged in milling, and that was his 
business for the ensuing three years. He then 
went into farming, following that occupation 
uninterruptedly in his native state until 1877, 
then farmed for a year near Prescott as an em- 
ployee, Ijut he afterwards moved to Willow 
valley, where he took a homestead and engaged 
in stock raising. He continued in that in- 
dustry five years, then sold his land and let 
his stock out to other parties on shares. Re- 
turning then to Prescott he worked awhile as a 
farm hand, but in 1897 he engaged in black- 
smithing in the town, and has given his ener- 
gies to that handicraft ever since. 

Mr. Dunlap is an industrious, thrifty, sub- 
stantial man, and his standing in Prescott is 
of the highest. He was married in Dayton, 
Washington, JMarch 14, 1888, to Miss Ida F. 
Wilmot, a native of Idaho, reared and educated 
in that state. They have four children, Cora 
L.. Edith J., Rea E. and Ida L. Fraternallv 



OTIS C. JACKSON, druggist at 19 West 
Main street, Walla Walla, was born in Albany, 
Oregon, July 16, 1867. His father had crossed 
the plains with ox-teams in 1862, experiencing 
six or seven battles with Indians, one of which 
took place within sight of Shoshone Falls, Ida- 
ho. In 1 868 the family moved to southern 
Oregon, but in 1871 they came north as far as 
Eugene, where Air. Jackson received a good 
public school education, supplemented by a 
course in the University of Oregon. 

\Mien sixteen, however, our subject started 
with the remainder of the family for this side 
of the Cascades, traveling by wagon to Port- 
land and thence by steamboat to The Dalles, 
and from that town by wagon to Farm- 
ington. Here his father purchased a farm, and 
for the three years following the time of his 
arrival Mr. Jackson was occupied in taking 
care of it. He then went to Tacoma, where 
for several years he was employed by the Stew- 
art & Holmes Drug Company. In 1899 he 
came thence to Walla Walla, purchased from 
his former employers the store which he now 
occupies and started in business for himself. 
The business is, at present, conducted under the 
lu-m name of the Green & Jackson Drug Com- 
pany. They have a magnificent assortment of 
drugs and photographic supplies, in fact their 
stock is the largest carried by any firm in the 
state outside of Seattle, Tacoma and Spokane. 

Mr. Jackson is a thoroughly progressive 
and up-to-date business man, and seems likely 
to long remain in the lead in his particular 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



3«7 



line. He bears an excellent reputation in his 
community as a reliable and upright gentle- 
man. In Tacoma, Washington, in October, 
1899, he married Miss Agnes F. Manion. 



EBENEEZER M. PECK, a farmer resid- 
ing three miles southwest of Walla Walla on 
Ritz creek, a pioneer of 1878, was born in Os- 
wego county. New York, December 29, 181 7. 
His father, Russell Peck, had been a gunsmith 
in the Revolutionary war. The old gentleman 
had volunteered as a soldier, but the govern- 
ment, discovering his ability, transferred him 
to one of its gun factories, and there he labored 
for a period of five years. 

When Ebeneezer M. Peck was six months 
old, the family removed to Ohio, where the 
father followed blacksmithing and gunsmith- 
ing five years. They next moved to Michigan, 
and in that state ele\en years were spent in 
farming and blacksmithing, after which they 
removed to Van Buren county, Iowa. It was 
here that Mr. Peck, then eighteen years old, 
received his education, though the facilities 
were not \'ery good, that being the first year 
that whites were allowed in the territory. The 
next move of the family was to Oskaloosa 
county, and here Mr. Peck lost both father and 
mother by death. He remained in Iowa con- 
tinuously, engaged in farming, until 1878, then 
came to Walla Walla for the benefit of his 
wife's health. He did not remain at first, how- 
ever, but went to the vicinity of Pendleton, 
where he resided three years, afterward moving 
to his present place of abode. He has one 
hundred and thirty acres in the home place and 
one hundred acres on the Oregon side of the 
5tate line and is engaged in diversified farming. 

I\Ir. Peck was for many years one of the 



leading and representative men of Oskaloosa 
county, Iowa, and while there held several 
local ofiices. While acting as constable, it fell 
to his lot to arrest the first man ever placed 
under custody in that county for wife-beating. 
The man remained in jail six months, after 
which Mr. Peck himself paid his fine and had 
him released. 

Since coming to the coast, the desire of our 
subject to benefit those with whom he comes 
in contact has found expression in his activity 
in church and Sunday-school work. When he 
settled near Pendleton, there was no Sabbath 
school in his neighborhood, and he immediately 
set to work to organize one. He found on his 
return to Walla Walla county, that his neigh- 
borhood here was also without such an institu- 
tion, and again he assumed the role of an or- 
ganizer. He was superintendent of this school 
until eventually forced, by the failure of his 
hearing, to give up the work. Mr. Peck was 
married at Oskaloosa, Iowa, on December 
23, 1862, to Miss Polly DeWitt, a native 
of Ohio, but a pioneer of Iowa. They have 
five children living: Emma P., Ai J., Ella E., 
Nellie M., and Myrtle S., also two, Franklin 
C. and Elmer C, deceased. The family affili- 
ate with the Old United Brethren church, of 
Walla Walla. 



GEORGE W. LOUNDAGIN.— This re- 
spected pioneer and leading agriculturist of 
Walla Walla county is a son of Tennessee, 
having first opened his eyes to the light in that 
state on the 20th of September, 1832. He 
attained to years of maturity in the locality 
wherein he was born, but when the time came 
for him to inaugurate independent action, he 
removed to the state of Arkansas, where for 
a number of years he lived the life of an agri- 



388 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



culturist, also working betimes at carpentering, 
a trade which he liad learned in early youth. 

.\ desire to try his fortunes in the west 
had, however, taken possession of him, and 
accordingly, in 1861, he started across the 
plains to the Walla Walla valley, braving the 
dangers and vicissitudes incident to the long 
journey, a journey which had to be made with 
ox-teams. Arriving in due time he settled on 
a farm in the vicinity of Walla Walla, but be- 
fore many months had passed he secured by 
the exercise of his homestead privileges the 
place upon which we now find him. He set 
vigorously to work improving and cultivating 
his land, also took the initial steps to secure a 
start in the business of cattle raising, and be- 
fore long he began to feel the necessity for a 
larger sphere of activity. To meet the exi- 
gencies of the case he purchased other lands, 
and ttj these in tlue course still others were 
added until he became the owner of a gener- 
ous tract of seven hundred and forty acres 
in the home farm and land in other localities 
aggregating four hundred and forty acres. He 
continues to raise large quantities of whear 
annually, and still handles a great many head 
of cattle in the course of a year, but he has also 
become one of the successful fruit growers in 
his section of the county. 

An assiduous worker, a careful manager, a 
good citizen and an obliging neighbor, Mr. 
Loundagin naturally stands high in the esteem 
of all with whom he is associated, enjoying 
a standing in the community which can be se- 
cured and retained only by a man of integrity 
and intrinsic worth. 

On January 31, 1856, in the state of Ar- 
kansas, his marriage to Miss Rhoda J. Stew- 
art, a native of Indiana, was solemnized, and 
to them have been born fourteen childi'en, 
twelve of whom are still living, namely : Will- 



iam J., residing in Dayton; Robert \Y., a farm- 
er; Eva I., wife of H. M. Hoover; John B., 
a photographer at Waitsburg; JMary E., wife 
of John Meimburg, of Waitsburg; Minnie M., 
wife of S. W. Hester, of Dayton; James O. ; 
Alvin G. ; Rebecca J., wife of Ralph P. Riggs, 
a resident of Oregon; Cora B., a teacher; Los- 
sen A. ; and Myrtle M. The deceased children 
were named Ollie A. and Isaac H. 

Referring more particularly to Alvin G. 
Loundagin, we may say that though only a 
young man, the date of his birth being April 
24, 1872, he is one of the leading and suc- 
cessful farmers of Waitsburg. He is a son of 
Walla Walla county, and in the local schools 
and in \\'aitsburg Academy he accjuired his 
education, after which he engaged at once 
in farming, the industry in which he has been 
so signally successful since. ^Ir. Loundagin 
was married at Dayton, W^ashington, No- 
vember 14, 1897, the lady of his choice being 
]Miss Addie Rae, a native of Illinois, and a 
daughter of one of the old and respected set- 
tlers of the vicinity of Dayton. The couple 
are parents of one child, Laretta. 



GEORGE E. KELLOUGH, 206 West 
Main street, was born in Ontario, Canada, in 
1872. When six years old, he moved with the 
family to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he re- 
ceived the major part of his education, and 
where he lived until 1891. He then came to 
Walla Walla, where for the first three years 
he worked on a farm. During the ensuing five 
years he was engaged in agricultural pursuits 
for himself, homesteading part of his land and 
acquiring part by purchase. 

Although very successful as a farmer, 
Mr. Kellough's ambitions prompted him rather 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



389 



to mercantile pursuits, and accordingly in No- 
vember, 1899, lie bought out tlie interest of 
Mr. John A. Taylor in the Taylor-Merrill 
Company, an establishment handling a general 
stock of gents' furnishing goods, boots and 
shoes, etc. He is, however, still interested in 
farming, not having sold any of his land. Mr. 
Kellough is a young man of excellent business 
ability, and his partners, recognizing this fact, 
have elected him president and treasurer of 
the firm. He gives promise of becoming one 
of the leading business men of the Inland Em- 
pire. In his fraternal affiliations he is an Odd 
Fellow and an Eagle. He was married in Wal- 
la Walla, November 28, 1893, to Miss Viola 
Purd}-, a native of Michigan, and they have a 
family of two children, Lance E. and Erma G. 



IRBY H. RUDD, retired merchant, is a 
native of East Tennessee, born October 10, 
1822. He acquired a common-school educa- 
tion, then became a contractor on the East 
Tennessee and Virginia Railroad, and after 
spending several years in that occupation he 
was tendered a position as conductor on the 
road. From 1856 to 1863, he served in this 
capacity, and from the latter date until 1868, 
he gave his attention to agricultural pursuits. 
His health ha\-ing failed, he then started west 
with teams. He stopped for short spaces of 
time in Nebraska, Colorado and Soda Springs, 
Idaho, but made no permanent halt until he 
reached Asotin county, Washington. He was 
in the milling Imsiness there continuously un- 
til 1X80, when he came to Walla Walla county. 

In 1882, Mr. Rudd located in Prescott, and 
became a wheat merchant in connection with 
Mr. II. P. Isaacs. This was his business un- 
til 1897, when, his health having again failed. 



he was forced to retire. He has always beerr 
an intensely active man, despite his rather deli- 
cate health, and has been in the front rank of 
the progressive forces wherever he has lived. 
He owns one hundred and sixty acres north of 
Prescott, and some town property. Frater- 
nally, 'Slv. Rudd is identified with the Masonic 
order. He was married in East Tennessee, 
January i, 1862, to Miss Angle Temple, daugh- 
ter of Major S. and Marguerite Temple, of 
Greenville, Tennessee. They became parents 
of one child, Leona, deceased. 



D. K. HIGHLEY.— Among the indus- 
trious and well-to-do farmers of this section — ■ 
the men whose brain and brawn have contrib- 
uted so materially to the industrial develop- 
ment of the valley — the subject of this article 
has earned an honored place. An old pio- 
neer, he has always shown himself possessed of 
the energy, resourcefulness and courage for 
which that stalwart class is noted, and has ever 
proven a not inconsiderable factor in the build- 
ing of the valley. 

Born in Indiana on August 25, 1846, he 
grew to maturity in that state, receiving 
such education as its public schools afford- 
ed. In 1875, he came thence to Walla 
Walla valley, and established his residence on 
the Coppei river. In 1882, he removed to Lin- 
coln county, wherein the scene of his activities 
for the next four years was located. Return- 
ing at length to Walla Walla county, he I>ought 
what is known as the Spencer ranch, containing 
two hundred and forty acres, and in i8gi he 
purchased a place three miles south of Waits- 
burg, upon which he now resides. He is the 
owner of a fine farm gf three hundred and 
fifty-four acres, furnished with machinery. 



390 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



buildings and equipment, and is engaged in 
producing wlieat and stock principally, though 
not exclusively. 

As a farmer, he is industrious and progres- 
sive, the results of his thrift and good man- 
agement being everywhere in evidence upon 
his premises, while as a man and a citizen, his 
life has been so ordered as to win the esteem 
and regard of his fellowmen. 

Air. Highley was married in Walla Walla 
county, on March 21. 18S3, to Miss Martha J. 
Spencer, daughter of W. W. Spencer, a pioneer 
of i860, and a respected citizen of the valley. 
Their union has been blest by the advent of 
six children. Liona. \\'illiam C. and Thelma, 
living, and Anslem, Helen and Inez, deceased. 



WILLI.AM E. McKIXXEY. Jr., a farmer 
near Waitsburg, is a native of Washington, 
born April 6. 1868. After completing his edu- 
cation, he went to Lincoln county, and engaged 
ii: stock raising, handling lioth cattle and 
horses. Xine years were passed in that in- 
dustry, then he sold out both his land and his 
stock and came to Waitsburg, where he en- 
gaged in farming on his father's place, a mile 
west of the town. He is an industrious, thrifty 
young man, a good citizen, and an agreeable 
and obliging neighbor. 

Mr. McKinney was married in Lincoln 
county, .\pril 30, 1 891, to Miss Lelia V. Brown, 
a native of California, born April 28, 1875. 
Her parents, Mr. and Airs. E. C. Brown, na- 
tives, respectiveh', of Maine and Missouri, were 
old pioneers of California. Her father had 
followed the sea for many years, but on set- 
tling in the Golden state had turned his atten- 
tion to farming. In. 1884 they moved to 
Washington, bringing a large band of cattle 



and horses with them, and locating, eventually, 
in Lincoln county, near Harrington. Mr. 
Brown was engaged in farming and stock- 
raising there until his death, which occurred in 
1885, and his widow still pursues the same 
occupation on the old place. 

Mr. anl Mrs. AIcKinney are parents of 
three living children: William E., Jr., born 
-Kpril 6, 1892: Loenra, born X'ovember 16, 
1893, and Imogen, born June 19, 1900. 



AIICHAEL AIARTIX, a farmer and stock 
raiser, residing on Ritz creek, three and a half 
miles west of Walla \\'alla, a pioneer of 1879, 
was born in county Galway, Ireland, in 1835. 
He resided there until thirty-two years of age, 
working on his father's farm after he completed 
his education, but he then set sail for America. 
After a short stay in X'ew York, he went to 
South Glastonbury, Connecticut, where he ob- 
tained employment as a furnace fireman in an 
anchor factory. He was thus employed for 
about eight months, after which he went to 
San Francisco, via the Panama route. He fol- 
lowed grade work there a year, then w'ent over- 
land to Helena, Montana, where, in company 
with his brother, Patrick, he worked at placer 
mining for three years, doing quite well. From 
the mines, he came direct to Walla Walla val- 
ley. He and his brother Patrick purchased 
one hundred and sixty acres on Dry creek to 
which they subsequently added a full section 
more of railroad land, making their entire farm 
ii:clude eight hundred acres. They lived upon 
and worked this large tract until 1891. when 
our subject sold his share to his brother John, 
and purchased his present farm of one hundred 
and sixty acres on Ritz creek. 

Mr. Martin is a very energetic man and 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



391 



one of tlie successful diversified farmers and 
stock raisers of the county. He was married 
in Ireland, in 1890, while back on a visit to 
his old home, to Miss Julia Kellehar, a native 
of county Gal way, who died August 28, 1900, 
leaving three children living: Enimett yi.. at 
the Brothers' school in Walla Walla engaged in 
study; Mary E. and Stella S., at home with 
their father. The entire family are members 
of the Catholic church. 



DR. S. A. OWENS, physician and sur- 
geon, Ouinn Building, Walla Walla, was born 
in North Salem, Indiana, in 1866. When 
eleven years old, he accompanied the rest of the 
family to Fort Worth, Texas, where he com- 
pleted his public school training. He also 
graduated from the Texas Western College. 
His first employment, after finishing his educa- 
tion, was in the capacity of freight clerk for 
the Texas Pacific Railroad Company. After 
three months he was appointed to the position 
of way bill clerk, and at the end of his first 
year of service he was made cashier. Two years 
were given to the duties of that situation, then 
he became assistant ticket agent at Union de- 
pot. Fort Worth. 

However, it had always been his ambition 
to become a physician, and as soon as he had 
money enough to pay the expenses of a pro- 
fessional course, he quit the employ of the rail- 
road and matriculated in Fort Worth Univer- 
sity, in which institution he was a student for 
the ensuing four years, graduating in 1895. 
He then spent a year as surgeon in St. Joseph's 
hospital, an infirmary belonging to the Texas 
Pacific Railroad Company. During the fol- 
lowing summer he spent three months in New 
York and three in Chicago, studying, as a 



specialty, diseases of women and children. 
Desiring then to find a suitable location, he 
traveled quite extensively throughout the south 
and west, even going to the City of Mexico. 
On his way back from the sound to Texas, he 
stopped in Walla Walla, and being impressed 
with the richness of the surrounding country, 
the beauty of the city, and the general appear- 
ance of prosperity, he decided to locate here. 
Accordingly, he opened an office. His abili- 
ties as a physician soon became appreciated, 
and he now enjoys a large and desirable pat- 
ronage. In the recent election he was the 
nominee of his political party for the office of 
county coroner. 

Fraternally, Dr. Owens is affiliated with the 
I. O. O. F.. the Rebekahs, the Foresters and 
the :M. W. a. 



FRED HAGGIST, whose office is at 27 
Alain. street, Walla Walla, was born in Switzer- 
land in 1872. He was, however, reared in 
America, having been brought by his parents 
to this country, when only six years old. His 
first home in the new world was in Ouincy, 
Illinois, where he resided continuously for fif- 
teen years. He was educated in the public 
schools and in a German private school, receiv- 
ing very thorough instruction. Upon attain- 
ing his majority, he came out to Walla Walla, 
and entered the employ of Mr. Al Lowe, for 
whom he worked as a drayman for about three 
and a half years. During the next two and a 
half years he served as supervising agent for 
a sewing machine company, but he then retired 
from that position to become the partner of his 
former employer in the draying business, in 
which industry he is still engaged. Thev have 
five large teams, and do all kinds of heavy 
hauling. ^Mr. Ilaggist is a very industrious. 



392 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



enterprising and reliable young man, and one 
whose standing in the community is of the 



highest. 



ROBERT F. WALKER, deceased.— 
Among the respected pioneers and builders of 
the northwest, those to whose industry, energy 
and perseverance its greatness is largely due, 
the warmhearted son of Kentucky whose name 
forms the caption of this article, is entitled to a 
rank of no little prominence. Born on the 6th 
of February. 1830, he was early taken by h:s 
parents to Illinois, in which state he passed his 
early youth, receiving a thorough common- 
.school education supplemented by a term in 
college. 

In 1 85 1 our subject crossed the plains with 
ox-teams to the Willamette valley, Oregon, 
wiiere be at once distinguished himself as a 
pioneer teacher. Me afterward gave some at- 
tention to mining and for a number of years 
was a successful farmer and stock raiser in the 
valley. Once he was called upon to serve a 
term as sheriff of Lane co-.mty. Coming to the 
Walla Walla valley in 1865. he located on the 
Touchet river, below Prescott. where for ten 
vears he continued to prosper in the business of 
cattle raising and farming. At the end of that 
time, he .sold out his realty and purchased a 
place east of Waitsburg, which remained the 
scene of his activities for two years. His next 
borne was located six miles south of Waitsburg 
on the Coppei ri\-er. where he farmed uninter- 
ruptedly until the 5th of March, 1890, on which 
(late he was summoned to depart this life. 

Mr. Walker was a man of integrity and 
sterling worth, faithful to every trust reposed 
in him by the public, true always to the highest 
and best impulses of his nature. His life and 
relations with his fellowmen were always so 



ordered as to retain the confidence of those 
with whom he became associated in pioneer 
days and to win the respect and esteem of those 
who came to the \alley at a later period. He 
was married in Oregon in 1855, to Miss 
Arimethy Scott, a native of Indiana and an 
estimable pioneer woman, who had crossed the 
plains in 1853. The couple became parents 
of nine children, namely: Alice B., wife of 
A. Bishop, of Columbia county; Harriet H., 
wife of P. Bishop, also of Columbia county; 
Joseph W.. a farmer six miles south of Waits- 
burg; Laura, wife of Frank ]\IcCown, of Walla 
Walla county; James W., a miner in Republic; 
Steward F., deceased; Marion C, a farmer in 
this county: Lillie M., deceased, and Adelaide. 



WILLIAM l- LLIXGSWORTH, a farmer 
and stock-raiser two miles east of Wallula, a 
pioneer of 1882, was born in Missouri July 21, 
1847. Upon completing the elements of a com- 
mon-school education he engaged in farming 
tb.erc. In 1878 he removed to Brown county, 
Kansas, whence, in 1882, he came to Walla 
Walla county. His first home in the valley was 
located ten miles west of Wallula. in Yakima 
count)-, but. after a residence of only a twelve- 
month there, he came into the town and en- 
gaged in hotel keeping. He still owns the 
hotel, but of late years has given his own time 
and energy mostly to farming and stock-rais- 
ing on his farm of one hundred and sixty acres 
on the \\"alla Walla river, also to the duties 
of the county offices he has been apiwinted or 
elected to fill. He served as deputy sheriff for 
a number of years prior to 1894, in which year 
he was elected sheriff", and he was so fortunate 
as to please the electors of the county in such 
a degree that they called upon him to accept 
the office again in 1896. 




WILLIAM ELLINGSWORTH. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



393 



yiv. Ellingswiirtli lias the honor of having 
served in defence of his country in tlie Civil 
war, having enlisted in Company B, Twelfth 
Missouri Cavalry. September 9, 1863. He par- 
ticipated in the battles of Franklin, Nashville 
and many others, also was present in several 
fights with the Powder river Lidians in Wy- 
oming in later years. He is a member of Lin- 
coln Post, G. A. R., of Walla Walla, which 
sent him as its delegate to the national en- 
campment at Louisville, Kentucky, in 1P94; 
also affiliates with the B. P. O. E. and the L 
O. O. F. He married in Missouri, on Sep- 
tember 9, 1869, Miss ^Laria Graham, a native 
of that state. 



WILLIAM McKINNEY, a farmer in the 
vicinity of Waitsburg, is a native of Warren 
county, Indiana, born May 5, 1836. He was 
taken to Iowa when three years old. and five 
years later to Missouri, whence, the next spring, 
he crossed the plains to Hillsboro, Oregon, 
where for a number of years he was engaged 
in farming. He also did some mining in the 
Yreka region in California, in 185 1. He spent 
six months in and around the Walla A\'alla 
valley in the winter of 1855 and '56, performing 
his duties as a volunteer in the Indian war of 
that date, but as soon as discharged returned 
to Oregon. 

In 1858. however. Mr. McKinney again 
came to this state, and after spending one year 
in the service of the government as a packer, 
located in Walla Walla county. He was en- 
gaged in stock raising, packing anrl mining 
for about two years, then took a homestead, 
and gave his whole attention to farming and 
cattle. A thrifty, industrious man, he has 
prospered from the start, and has continued 
to increase his real estate holdings, until he is 



now the owner of five hundred and fifty-three 
acres, with all buildings, implements, and stock 
necessary for farming it in a first-class manner. 
On December 14, 1865, Mr. McKinney 
married Miss Sarah Poulson, a native of Illi- 
nois, and a pioneer of the v/est of 1864. They 
have four children, Frank, a bookkeeper ; \\'ill- 
iam E., a farmer; Thomas V., a clerk; and 
Emma, a dressmaker. 



CLINTON STETSON, deceased, a pio- 
neer of Walla Walla valley of a verj^ early date, 
was born in the vicinity of Racine, Wisconsin, 
ir 1828. He received his education in the 
public schools of his native state and in Racine 
College, then taught school for several years. 
Finally, he came via the isthmus of Panama to 
California, but after a brief residence there, re- 
moved to the Walla Walla valley, homesteaded 
one hundred and sixty acres on the Tumalum 
river, and engaged in farming. He had been 
a leading man in Wisconsin, and the same 
qualities which gained him prominence there 
soon began to be realized in his new home. 
He was one of the representati\-e men of the 
Republican party, and in 1868 was its candi- 
date for the legislature, but was defeated by a 
very narrow majority, though the county was 
at that time strongly Democratic. He served 
as school director and clerk in his district for 
several terms, and always did everything in 
his power to advance the cause of education 
in which he was a thorough believer. 

Mr. Stetson was married on January 10, 
1863, to Mary A. Dutton, a native of Fulton 
county, Illinois, who came to the valley in 
1862. They became parents of four children. 
Amy O., wife of Henry Sexton, of Enterprise, 
Oregon; Augusta 11., wife of Harve Hodgen, 



394 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



of Adams county, Washington ; Susan M., wife 
of A. Frank Keys, sheriff of Walla ^^■alla 
county; and Orlando C. now working his 
mother's place. At the time of the Cayuse 
war. Mr. Stetson furnished horses for the use 
of the state government. He died March 
26, 1873. and his remains are at rest in Ford 
cemetery. The family are members of the 
Methodist Episcopal church. 



ROBERT H. OSBORN, proprietor of the 
Bazaar at 223 W. ]\Lain street, \\'alla Walla, 
was born in Illinois in 1837. He resided there 
until, in 1S52, the family started across the 
plains to Oregon, then he, of course, came with 
them. After six months of continuous travel 
they finally came to a halt in the beautiful 
Yamhill county, Oregon. Mr. Osborn com- 
pleted his education in Salem Academy, where 
he studied for two years, then engaged in 
farming. Later he turned his attention to 
stock raising. For many years that was his 
business, and he followed it successfully both 
in Yamhill and in Wasco counties, Oregon; 
indeed, for the first two years after coming to 
Walla \\'alla county, Washington, he devoted 
his energies to the same industry. But in 1891 
h^ embarked in the mercantile business, start- 
ing with a stock of candy and afterwards add- 
ing notions. He is a good business man, and 
carries a large stock of merchandise. 

Being a very old pioneer of the west Mr. 
Osborn has seen his share of Indian warfare. 
In 1864 he enlisted in Company B. First Ore- 
gon Volunteer Infantry, for service in Idaho 
against the Snake river Indians and their al- 
lies. He participated in several severe engage- 
ments, hut the principal duty assigned to his 
company was to guard the passes for the pur- 



pose of preventing the Cayuses from entering 
the \\'illamette valley. 

Mr. Osborn has always been a progressive, 
enterprising man, and has contributed not a 
little to the material and industrial develop- 
ment of the coast, in the nearly half a century 
of his residence in Oregon and Washington. 
He was married in Yamhill county, Oregon, 
in 1S58, to Miss Martha Lady, who died in 
1S70. By this wife he had four children: 
Frank, now a farmer; Ada, now Mrs. Griffith, 
a resident of California; Emrel, deceased; and 
Lincoln, an undertaker in San Francisco. In 
1870 Mr. Osborn was again married, the lady 
being ]\Irs. Orton, and in 1887 she also died. 



PETER STRAHM.— Among those prom- 
inently identified with the agricultural develop- 
ment of the section of the country contiguous 
to Dixie, Mr. Strahm is deserving of especial 
mention. He was born on the 7th of July, 
1836, in the vicinity of that Ohio town, which 
has since become so well known as the home 
of William ]^IcKinley. As soon as his public 
school education was completed he began work 
with his father, a millwright of ability, con- 
tinuing in the employ of the latter until the in- 
tricacies of that difficult handicraft were thor- 
oughly mastered. 

In 1864 Mr. Strahm came out to Oregon, 
working his way on the railroad as far as that 
extended and making the remainder of the 
journey overland. During the three years 
subsequent to the date of his arrival he fol- 
lowed his trade in Salem, Oregon, but he 
thereupon removed to Walla Walla county, 
took up land, and engaged in farming. Pros- 
perity attended his efforts from the very be- 
ginning; he soon became a leader among the 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



395 



agriculturists of his section, and he lias con- 
tinued to occupy a position of prominence 
among them ever since. At the present time 
he is the owner of six hundred acres of land, 
situated about two miles northeast of Dixie. 
The air of thrift which everywhere pervades 
his premises bears eloquent testimony to his 
industry and good management, and confirms 
his title to a rank among the eminently suc- 
cessful in his particular brancli of industry. 
As a man and citizen his standing in the com- 
munity is of the highest. 

Mr. Strahm was married in Walla Walla 
county on the /th of April, 1873, to Miss 
Sarah Arthion, a native of Iowa, and a mem- 
ber of an old and respected pioneer family. 
They have six children, namely : Lydia A., 
now Mrs. John Bane; Charles E., a farmer; 
Ella, wife of Augustus Augustavo, of Walla 
Walla; William, Emma and Jennie. Mrs. 
Strahm's father died in the valley some years 
ago, but her mother still resides on the Touchet. 



JOHN D. McCOY, son of Thomas K. 
and Margaret A., was born in Umatilla county, 
Oregon, on October 9, i860, on his father's 
homestead on the Tumalum river. He grew 
to man's estate in the valley, receiving the 
advantage of a thorough education in Mrs. 
Chamberlain's private school and in Whitman 
Seminary. After leaving school he engaged 
in stock raising in Wasco county, Oregon, 
near The Dalles, and he followed that indus- 
try there for six or eight years, afterwards 
moving his stock to the Snake river, where 
opportunity was afforded for taking homestead 
land, and where there was abundance of range 
for cattle. 

Mr. McCoy took a quarter-section of gov- 



ernment land, and remained on it continuously 
until ^lay 24, 1900, when he sold his place and 
stock and moved permanently to his present 
residence on the Telephone road, where is the- 
portion of his father's estate that fell to him. 
He also has one hundred and sixty acres of 
land on the Tumalum river, a part of the pa- 
ternal homestead, and upon these two places he 
is raising hay principally. It is his intention 
to work into the dairy business, and he already 
has quite a herd of milch cows, all fine Jersey 
stock. 

Mr. McCoy is uniformly esteemed and re- 
spected wherever known, his standing in this 
community being an enviable one. For three 
years he has been school director of his dis- 
trict. In Umatilla county, on July 18. 1882, 
he married Miss Rose D. Olmstead, a native 
of Oregon, and they have four children living, 
namely : Rowena A., G. Pauline, J. Leon and 
Marcus R., all at home. Mrs. McCoy's par- 
ents were early settlers on the Tamalum river, 
and were well known and respected in Walla 
Walla, where her mother still lives and owns 
property, though her father died on the old 
home place in ?klarch, 1877. 



WILLIAM A. NOBLE, 112 W. Main 
street, Walla Walla, was born in Illinois in 
1865, and in that state he was reared and edu- 
cated. For several years after leaving school 
he was engaged in farming with his father, 
but in 1887 he came out to Walla Walla. For 
the four years following the date of his arrival 
here, he spent most of his time in warehouse 
work, but when not engaged in that line he 
busied- himself in other directions. In 1890, 
however, he opened a place of Inisiness in the 
city, and he has been in commercial pursuits 



396 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



€ver since, only once changing locations in that 
time. In fraternal affiliations Mr. Xoble is 
identified with the Independent Order of Odd 
Fellows, and the Eagles. He was married in 
\\'alla Walla in 1889 to Miss Sarah J. Rags- 
dill, a native of Tennessee, and to their union 
have been born five children, namely: Grace, 
Orva, Ethel, \\'illiam A., Jr., and Charles Ed- 
ward. 



JOEL WOODS, one of the enterprising 
farmers and extensive real estate owners of 
Walla Walla county, is a native of New York, 
born August 3, 1844. While in early infancy 
he was taken by his parents to Michigan. The 
family, however, soon returned to New \ork, 
and in 1850 they made quite an extensive tour 
via Canada to Detroit, thence by steamer to 
Chicago, from that city direct to Janesville, 
Wisconsin, and back to New York. They 
farmed in the last mentioned state four years, 
then went to Michigan and were engaged in 
the dual occupation of farming and lumbering 
for three years more. Their next move was to 
Iowa, but after spending a few months there 
and a few in [Michigan they again returned 
to New York: only on a business trip, how- 
ever. When the object of the trip had been 
accomplished they came back to Michigan and 
again engaged in farming and teaming. 

After a continuous residence of four years 
in that state Mr. Woods rejoined his father, 
who had gone to Indiana two years before, and 
after another two years had passed father and 
son both went to Wisconsin, the father to lo- 
cate a homestead, the son to assist in clearing 
and improving it. 

In 1868 the young Mr. W'oods moved to 
Minnesota and made use of his own homestead 
right. He farmed there until 1877, then set 



out across the plains to Grande Ronde val- 
ley, where for two and a half years he followed 
farming and stockraising. He next came to 
the vicinity of Waitsburg, bought land, and 
continued his former occupation m his new 
home. A thrifty, industrious man, he took 
advantage of every opportunity offered by the 
newness of the country, and the natural fertil- 
ity of the soil, whh the result that he is now 
one of the leading farmers in Walla Walla 
count)', his farm consisting of four thousand 
acres of excellent wheat land. 

Mr. Woods was married in Wisconsin, in 
March, 1871. to Miss Viola ]M. Hull, a native 
of that state, and of their marriage eleven chil- 
dren have been born: ilorris A., Walter J., 
Harriet E., Mary J\I., Ethel V., Chester J., 
Charles A., Elmer L., Ruth S., Emerson E. 
and Harrv L. 



EDWARD D. MILLS, a farmer at Waits- 
burg, is a native of Iowa, born January 29, 
1842. When two years old, he was taken by 
his parents to Kentucky, and there the next 
decade of his life was passed. He then spent 
five years on a farm in Missouri, after which 
he crossed the plains to Shasta county, Cali- 
fornia. arri\-ing in 1859. He was engaged in 
mining and teaming there until 1865, then 
came to the vicinity of Dixie, Washington, 
took a homestead and engaged in farming and 
stock raising, lie lived in that locality several 
vears. InU finally .sold his farm, l.iought an- 
other near Waitsburg, and resumed his accus- 
tomed occupation. He has a fine farm, join- 
ing the city on the west, and valuable not 
only for its natural productiveness, but es- 
pecially so on account of its favorable location. 

Mr. Mills is one of the solid and substantial 
citizens of that section, and enjovs the confi- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



397 



dence and gi)od will of liis neighbors generally. 
He was married in this county, November 30, 
1870, to Miss Mary Al. Dickinson, a native of 
Indiana, who crossed the plains with her par- 
ents in 1863. The family located four miles 
south of Waitsburg, and in the district school 
of that neighborhood she completed her educa- 
tion. She is an active member of the Women 
of Woodcraft, Circle No. 157, of Waitsburg. 
Mr. and Mrs. Mills are parents of six chil- 
dren, living, Abbie B., Frank P., Charlie A., 
Florence L., Harlan F., and Harvey D. 



HENRY W. HASTINGS, deceased.— 
Though the man whose name initiates this re- 
view was not permitted to live to a great age, 
he assisted in the early development of two 
western states, stamping upon the communities 
in which he lived the impress of his vigorous 
personality. He was born in Arkansas in 1842, 
and in that state the first nineteen years of his 
life were passed and his education was ac- 
quired. In 1 86 1, however, he crossed the 
plains with ox-teams to Benton county, Ore- 
gon, bringing with him the courageous young 
woman who had recently become his bride. 

The couple arrived in due season and be- 
gan tilling the soil of the new country, Mr. 
Hastings also giving some attention to the 
more exciting occupation of mining. They 
met with excellent success in their initial ef- 
forts to secure a competency, but thought they 
could do better in the rich Walla Walla val- 
ley, so in 1865 moved over to this section. Se- 
curing land three miles east of Dixie, they be- 
gan to develo]) a home for themselves, and there 
they lived and toiled together until, in 1884, 
death overtook the head of the family. Mrs. 
Hastings lived on the original home for sev- 



eral years longer, but at present she is a resi- 
dent of Whitman county. 

Recapitulating briefly the history of this 
respected family we may say that the marriage 
of our subject and Miss Sarah E. Hubbard, 
to whom we have hitherto referred as Mrs. 
Hastings, was solemnized in 1861, in Arkan- 
sas, the birthplace of both the contracting 
parties, and that the issue of their union was 
nine children, namely: William T., a farmer; 
iVIinnie, wife of Frank AIcGhee, of Walla 
Walla; Thomas J., a farmer in Whitman coun- 
ty; Alice M., wife of George McCrosky, of 
Whitman county; Ethel, wife of Frank Van 
Winkle, of Walla Walla; also Henry C, Al- 
bert L., Richard W. and Elmer F., residents 
of Whitman county. 

William T., who now has charge of the 
parental farm, was born in Oregon on the 6th 
of January, 1863. He was, however, reared 
and educated in this valley, his parents hav- 
ing, as before intimated, brought him here 
in 1865. He early engaged in farming and 
stock raising, and to these industries hir, ener- 
gies have been devoted continuously since. He 
is a successful farmer, a good citizen and an 
esteemed and respected member of society. 
He was married in Walla W^alla county, De- 
cember 18, 1885, to Martha J. Smith, a native 
of the valley, who died July 26, 1897, leaving 
five children, namely: Thomas O.. Joseph £., 
William H., Albert W. and Frank A. 



WILLIAM .\. STRUTHERS, a farmer 
near Eureka Junction, was born and rearetl in 
the state of Minnesota. He received a public 
school education. When the time came for 
him to start in life f(jr himself, he .naturally 
turned to farming, having been brought up 



398 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



from boyhood in tliat occupation, and he has 
clung closely to that calling ever since. Li 
1889 he came to Walla Walla county and pur- 
chased three hundred and twenty acres half 
a mile south of Eureka Junction. This he has 
been farming ever since ctjntinuously. but his 
energy and ambition are too great to be con- 
fined even in the generous limits of a half-sec- 
tion, so he rents and farms nine hundred acres 
more. He is a man of integrity, and enjoys an 
en\iable standing in the community in which 
he lives. J\Ir. Struthers was married in Walla 
Walla county, on August 27, 1893, to Miss 
Maggie AIcDonald, a native of Nevada, who 
died May 8, 1900, leaving one daughter. Hazel 
M., born September 6, 1894, and now living 
with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. T. J. 
IMcDonald. 



JOHN W. BREWER, a mail carrier in 
Walla Walla, was born in Wasco county, Ore- 
gon, in 1873. When very young he was taken 
by his parents to the Willamette valley, whence 
two years later he was brought to Walla Walla 
county. He lived on the farm with his parents 
until ten years old, attending school during 
term time, then moved with the remainder of 
the family into Walla \\'alla, where he finished 
the grammar grade. 

In 18S9 the entire family moved to Seattle, 
ar.d here Mr. Brewer took a high-school course, 
graduating in 1895. While pursuing his 
studies he organized the High School Cadets, 
a company which under his captaincy became 
the banner cadet company of the state. After 
graduation he took a course in bookkeeping 
in Wilson's Modern Business College, then 
taught in the same institution for a year. Re- 
turning to Walla Walla in 1897 he purchased 
.the Empire Business College, which was owned 



and controlled by him until the close of the 
term in 1889, when he sold out and accepted 
a position as carrier in the postal service. He 
is also bookkeeper for U. G. Bean, a furniture 
dealer. 

In .Vpril, 1898, responding to the call of 
patriotism, Mr. Brewer enlisted in Company I, 
Washington Volunteers, for service in the 
Philippines. He went as far as San Francisco, 
but while awaiting orders to proceed he was 
called home by the illness of his father, leav- 
ing at first on a furlough, but eventually being 
discharged. 

Mr. Brewer is a young man of unusual 
ability, and possesses a degree of energy and 
force of character which enables him to make 
good use of his other natural endowments. 
Prophetic vision is not necessary to enable one 
to discern before him a career of success and 
usefulness. He is quite a prominent member of 
the I. O. G. T., of which he is at present grand 
treasurer for this state. On March 29, 1899, 
he was married, in Walla Walla, to Miss Jen- 
nie M. Markham, a resident of this city, and 
they are the parents of one child, John W., Jr. 



ED\\WRD LOGAN, a carpenter and 
builder, was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, 
July 4, 1847. He grew to manhood in his 
native state, receiving a good education, and 
subsecjuently learning the trade of a carpenter. 
He worked at his handicraft there for a num- 
ber of years, but in 1879 removed to Colorado, 
located at Loveland, and again engaged in car- 
penter work. After a residence of a year there 
he came to \\'alla ^^'alla county and home- 
steaded one hundred and sixty acres of land 
in the vicinity of Eureka Junction, pre-empting 
another one hundred and sixty acres adjoining. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



399 



This he farmed for about seven years contin- 
uously, raising wheat. 

Preferring to work at his trade, however, 
he has rented his land most of the time since 
1887, and given his attention to building. He 
has devoted the assiduous efforts of many 
years to acquiring a mastery of the intricate 
handicraft which he chose for his own, and 
has, as might be expected, a high degree of 
skill, so that his services are constantly in de- 
m.and. 

\Miile lix'ing in his old home in Ohio Mr. 
Logan was a memljer of the Presbyterian 
church established in his neighborhood, but 
since coming west he has never connected him- 
self with any church society. 



JUSTUS AHCHEL, deceased.— A very 
early pioneer and an industrious, thrifty agri- 
culturist, the man whose name gives caption to 
this article is well deserving of representation 
in a volume of this character for the liberal 
contribution which he made to the industrial 
development of the county, while his life and 
relations with his fellow men were always so 
ordered as to procure for him the esteem and 
regard of those with whom he was associated. 

Like many other respected citizens of the 
west, he was born in Germany, the date of his 
advent onto the stage of action being Decem- 
ber 9, 1833. He received tlie customary public- 
school education, and complied with the re- 
quirements of his fatherland with regard to 
service in the German army, but when this duty 
was discharged he at once set sail for the new 
world. 

Locating in Baltimore, Maryland, he 
worked as a cooper, also learned the trade of 
a cigar-maker. He afterward followed these 



lines of activity in Missouri and Iowa for a 
number of years. In 1865 he crossed the plains 
in the customary fashion of those days to 
Walla Walla county, homesteaded a place four 
miles southeast of Dixie, bought a quarter-sec- 
tion of railroad land adjoining and directed 
his energies to agricultural pursuits and stock 
raising. In these industries he was successful 
from the beginning, soon becoming one of the 
leading ranchmen of the section. He continued 
in the business of farming and stock raising 
uninterruptedly until his death, the date of 
which is September 7, 1894. 

j\Ir. Michel was married in ^Missouri, Oc- 
tober 24, 1858, to Miss Martha Dodge, a na- 
tive of Illinois, and to them were born seven 
children, namely: A. Anna, wife of John W. 
Burkhart; Ella J., wife of Orville France, of 
Whitman county; Justus I., residing at Sunset; 
Charles H., Alice M. and Otto B., living; and 
Thomas, deceased. 

Mrs. Michel's father, Thomas E. Dodge, 
was an early pioneer of Illinois, being the sec- 
ond white man to settle in St. Charles, that 
state. Her mother was a member of the old 
and respected Upton family, the founders of 
which in America came to the new world in 
the sixteenth century. 



MRS. ELIZABETH J. BLANCHARD, a 
hotel keeper and farmer, residing at Eureka 
Junction, was born in Arkansas July 7, 1844. 
She crossed the plains with the remainder of 
her family in 1859, and since that date her 
life has been linked with the destinies of Walla 
Walla valley. There were only eight white 
women in the valley at this time, and not a 
school or a church closer than The Dalles, 
Oregon. 



400 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Her father bought a squatter's right and 
engaged in farming and stock raising, and she 
hved with him until June 27, 1861, when she 
married 'Sir. A. A. Blanchard. The latter 
also bought a claim and engaged in farming, 
stock raising and teaming, while Mrs. Blan- 
chard, wishing to contribute her share toward 
the establishment of a home, attended to the 
butter making. They li\ed on the original 
homestead for thirteen years, then moved to 
the town of \\'alla Walla, continuing, however, 
in their former occupation, that of stock rais- 
ing. Fourteen years were passed in this lo- 
cality, and during that time they witnessed the 
gradual growth and development of the town, 
there being only one store in the place when 
they first moved into the valley. 

About 1888 they sold their interests in the 
vicinity of \\'alla Walla, moved to Eureka 
Junction, bought more land and engaged in 
the dual occupation of farming and hotel keep- 
ing. Ill 1898 Mr. Blanchard died, but iiis 
widow, having learned self-reliance in the hard 
school of a pioneer country, has carried on 
both the farming and the hotel keeping suc- 
cessfully alone, personal!}- managing her wheat 
farm of six hundred and forty acres, the same 
being the land upon which Eureka Junction is 
located. 

Mrs. Blanchard is an active member of the 
Free Baptist church. She is deeply interested 
in the establishment of a first-class institution 
of learning in the Junction, under the auspices 
of that denomination, and has shown her in- 
terest in a very substantial way, donating ten 
acres of her land for the use of the school. 
She is a thoroughly sincere, good woman, de- 
voted heart and soul to the advancement of 
the cause of Christ and tlie uplifting of hu- 
manity. 

Mr. and Mrs. Blanchanl had no children of 



their own, but have reared and educated four, 
taking them in childhood and training them 
tc become respected members of society. The 
first was the infant child of an esteemed friend. 
She is now !Mrs. Fredelle Sharp, wife of a 
farmer on the Touchet river; the second, a 
daughter of Mrs. Blanchard's brother, is now 
the wife of \A'iIliam Mann, of Eureka; the re- 
maining two are Clara and Dora McElhaney, 
who still reside with Mrs. Blanchard. 



ANDREW C. MASTERSON, deceased, a 
pioneer of 1866, was a native of Kentucky, born 
December 14, 1840. He was, however, reared 
in Illinois and Iowa. In 1864 he crossed the 
plains with mule teams to Oregon and located 
in the vicinity of Albany, Linn county, where 
for a couple of years he was engaged in farm- 
ing. He then removed to this county, located 
a homestead on Cottonwood creek, six miles 
south of Walla Walla, and again embarked in 
farming and stock raising. An industrious 
thrifty man. he was ver\- successful in this 
i;idustry, and soon took rank among the lead- 
ing farmers of Walla Walla county. In 1880 
Mr. ^lasterson retired from the farm, moved 
into the city of Walla Walla, and directed his 
attention to the loan business, in which he was 
afterwards engaged until May 6, 1883, when 
he died. In fraternal affiliations he was a Ma- 
son and a L^nited \\'orkman. On February 
23, i860, he married, in Davis county, Iowa, 
Miss Sinah ^\'orkman, a native of that state, 
and to them were born eight children : Emma 
J., wife of A. J. McManis; Sarah I., widow of 
Wallace Smith: .Xndrew C. and John, living; 
and Willie, Hattie, May and Joseph, deceased. 
^Irs. Masterson crossed the plains with her 
husband in 1864. exemplifying the self-reliance 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



401 



and resourcefulness of those early pioneer 
\vomen by driving a four-mule team all the 
way. She now resides in a comfortable home 
ill Walla Walla, and is supported by the rev- 
enues from over one thousand acres of farm 
land and some valuable city property. 



JOSEPH H. McCOY, a farmer on the 
Tumalum, eight and a half miles southwest 
of A\'alla Walla, a pioneer of the valley of 1859, 
was liorn in Linn county, Oregon, on January 
15, 1856. When a small child he was brought 
by his parents to this valley, and he now re- 
sides on the place which his father homesteaded 
on coming here. He received his education in 
Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlain's private school, 
and in the old Whitman Academy, which he 
attended two years. 

His first business after leaving school was 
raising Norman Percheron horses in Umatilla 
county and later in Wasco county, Oregon, in 
company with his brothers, E. O. and John 
D., a line of activity which he followed until 
1884. He then sold out, returned to the pa- 
ternal homestead and took charge of the farm. 
While thus employed he received an ajjpoint- 
ment from Mr. Zoeth Houser as chief deputy 
sheriff of Umatilla county, Oregon, and for 
two years thereafter he was engaged in the 
performance of his duties as such officer. 

Returning then to his farming, he devoted 
the summer and fall seasons to that industry, 
but as soon as harvest time was passed he in- 
dulged his passion for travel, visiting every 
state and territory in the Union except tln'se 
along the Atlantic seaboard. Latterly he has 
given his entire time and attention to his farm, 
and is now one of the most successful diversi- 
fied farmers in the valley. He enjoys an en- 

26 



viable standing in his community, the natural 
consequence of his uniform fairness and in- 
tegrity in his dealings with his neighbors. His 
fraternal connections arc with the Damon 
Lodge, No. 4, Knights of Pythias, of Pendle- 
ton, and with Lodge No. 23, F. O. E., of 
Walla Walla. 

Mr. McCoy was married, at Cowl's Cross- 
ing, of the Walla Walla river, October 26, 
1882, to Miss Mary A. Cowl, a native of Illi- 
nois, who was brought by her parents across 
the plains in 1866. They have a family of 
four chihlren, Josepli O., Kate M., anrl George 
T. and Mattie A., twins. Mr. McCoy's father 
was a prominent man in the early pioneer days 
of this valley. He has the distinction of hav- 
ing started and for a time operated the first 
meat market ever established in this section, 
and one surprising thing in this connection is 
that the market has been maintained contin- 
uously as such ever since, though started iu 
1858. It is now the property of Mr. Chris, 
Ennis. 

When the family first settled on the farm 
here they were neighbors to the Cayuse In- 
dians, but by uniform fair treatment they kept 
the good will of the red men and experienced 
no trouble with them. On one occasion an In- 
dian stole a horse from Mr. McCoy, but the 
other Indians followed the thief to Idaho, over- 
took him, beat him unmercifully and compelled 
him to bring back the stolen property. 

Mr. McCoy tells many amusing anecdotes 
of the false Indian scares of early days, one 
of which is to the effect that a neighbor, while 
on a mad drive to Fort Walla Walla to alarni 
the soldiers, lost one of his chililrcn out of the 
wagon, and when the others set up a cry of 
alarm his imagination construed the turmoil 
tc be the shouts of approaching red skins and 
he drove all the harder. Mr. McCoy's father 



402 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



died in Menard county, Illinois, February 19, 
1877, while back there on a visit, and his 
mother passed away in October, 1896, and lies 
buried in the Walla Walla cemetery. While 
Mr. McCoy's farm is just over the Oregon 
line, he considers ^^■alla \\'alla his home town 
and always has his inail directed to that post- 
office. 



spects one of which he has just reason to be 
proud. Fraternally he is connected with the 
Foresters of America, the Artisans and the 
Good Templars. 



ilERTON E. BREWER, lately book^ 
keeper for William Jones, was born in Walla 
Walla county in 1875. He lived in this vicin- 
ity until 1891, then went to Seattle, where he 
completed a high-school course and graduated. 
He also took a complete course in bookkeep- 
ing in one of the business colleges of that city, 
after which he returned to Walla Walla. He 
taught in his brother's business college during 
the winter of 1898-9, but in the spring re- 
turned to Seattle to accept a position in the 
Board of Education building. At the outbreak 
of the Philippine war he enlisted in Company 
B, First \A'ashington Volunteer Infantry, with 
vhich he went as far as San Francisco. He 
remained there until shortly before they left for 
Manila, then, his father being ill, he was dis- 
charged by courtesy and allowed to return to 
Walla Walla. 

For. about three months after coming here 
he was employed in the county auditor's of- 
fice, then he became city assessor by appoint- 
ment. In the campaign of 1898 he was a 
candidate for the office of city clerk, but failed 
of election. On July 14, 1899, he accepted the 
position in which he was until quite recently 
engaged, taking charge of Mr. Jones" books 
and accounts. Mr. Brewer is a young man of 
ability, energy and force of character, and his 
reliability and integrity have never been ques- 
tioned. His standing in this city is in all re- 



JOHX U. STR.\H:iI, deceased.— An early 
and respected pioneer of the county and one 
who has contributed his full share toward its 
development, the subject of this article has 
earned the right to be counted among the bene- 
factors and builders of the county, and it is 
clearly incumbent that he should be accorded 
representation in a volume of this character. 
He was born in Berne, Switzerland, on July 
50, 1837, but was reared and educated in the 
state of Ohio, whither his parents brought him 
when he was six years old. In 1853 he crossed 
the plains with ox-teams to California, where 
for three years he was engaged in the endeavor 
to find a key to nature's vaults and to win 
tb.erefrom her hidden treasure. 

Returning to the middle west in 1856 he 
farmed in Iowa and ?iIissouri for about eight 
years, after which he again crossed the plains, 
his objective point this time being Walla \\'alla 
county. He located a homestead two miles 
southeast of Dixie, upon which he resided con- 
tuiuously, engaged in farming and stock rais- 
ing until February 11, 1895, when death over- 
took him. He had a fine farm of two hun- 
dred acres and upon this his widow and some 
of the children are still living. 

Mr. Strahm was married, in Princeton, 
Missouri, in 1864, to ]Miss Mary J. Farley, a 
native of that state, and to their union four- 
teen children were born, namely : Josephine, 
widow of the late John Byrd ; \\'illiam H. ; 
Sarah E., wife of D. F. Strohm, of Pendleton, 
Oregon; Rosa B., wife of Thomas B. Hast- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



403 



ings, of Thornton; Mary E., wife of Eldon 
Buroaker, of Waitsburg; Nora J., a resident 
of \\'alla Walla; John U. ; Nannie, wife of A. 
W. Brown, of Walla Walla: Lncretia R., 
\'iola, Edna and Alma. 



J. FREDERICK KERSH.VW, railroad 
agent at Dixie, is one of the comparatively few 
who can claim Washington for the state of 
tlieir nativity. He was born in this county 
April 8, 1878, and here he passed his early 
youth and was educated. Reared on his fa- 
ther's farm near Dixie, he acquired habits of 
industry and thrift which are invaluable to any 
ambitious young man, and his career thus far, 
though so brief, gives promise of his becom- 
ing a prominent railroad man and a powerful 
factor in the carrying trade of the coast. As 
soon as he had completed his education he set 
vigorously to work to learn telegraphy, and 
soon found employment with the Washington 
& Columbia River Railroad, for which he is 
now agent at Dixie. Mr. Kershaw is a son of 
Mr. and Mrs. W^illiam G. Kershaw, well known 
and highly esteemed ])ioneers of W^alla Walla 
county. His father died April 5, 1891, but 
his mother still lives on the old home place 
near Dixie. Her real estate interests in the 
county are very extensive. Besides the sub- 
ject of this sketch, she has two other children, 
Emma Kershaw and Mrs. J. H. Fuller. 



MILTON E. BRYAN, proprietor of a 
livery barn, corner Second and .Alder street;-;, 
was born in Van Buren county, Iowa, in 1859. 
For the first twenty-five years of his life he 
lived in tlie neighborhood in which he first 



saw the light, receiving the advantages of a 
public-school training, and later engaging in 
agricultural pursuits. In 1884, however, he 
moved to Walla Walla and turned his atten- 
tion to the livery business, an industry to which 
his energies have been given ever since. 

For the past twelve years he and his part- 
ner, Mr. T. N. Bryan, have been in business 
together, and during the past two they have 
occupied their present quarters. By their in- 
dustry, judicious management and careful at- 
tention to the wants of their customers, com- 
liined with a degree of progressiveness, which 
has kept them always fully abreast of the times 
in equipment and stock, they have secured an 
excellent trade, and a reputation of which they 
may well be proud. They have seventy-five 
head of horses and run hack lines, baggage 
and transfer wagons, etc., besides performing 
all the other functions of a first-class livery. 
In fraternal affiliations Mr. Bryan is identified 
with the I. O. O. F. He married, in Iowa, 
in 1890, Margaret E. Chalfant, a native of that 
state. 



JOHN G. COCHRAN.— This prominent 
])ioneer farmer of Dixie was born in Missouri 
in September, 1839. He grew to manhood and 
acquired his education in the state of h:s na- 
tivity, and when the time came for him to 
initiate independent action, and to begin the 
struggle for existence on his own account, he 
engaged in the business in which he had been 
reared, namely, farming. He continued to 
prosper in that industry for many years, lint 
thinking he could do better on the Pacific coast 
came to \\'a]la Walla in 1871. Locating at 
Dixie, he resumed the occupation in which he 
had been engaged while a resident of Missouri, 
and he has been among the progressive and 



404 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



respected agriculturists of that section ever 
since. 

In 1861, in the state of Missouri, he mar- 
ried Aliss Elizabeth Eagen, and the issue of 
their union was eleven children, nine of whom 
are still living, namely: James W., in Ore- 
gon; Jasper, in Oregon; Charles L., postmas- 
ter and merchant at Dixie ; Jesse D. ; Robert 
L. ; Ida Pearl, wife of F. M. Marks, of Dixie; 
William, ]\Iamie and Edison. The deceased 
children were named Lu\'ina and Minnie. 

Their son, Charles L., a merchant at Di.xie. 
who also serves as postmaster there, is one of 
the leading spirits of the place, and an effective 
force in its upbuilding. He was born in Mis- 
souri on September 13, 1868, but was reared 
and educated in the Walla Walla valley, 
whither his parents brought him when he was 
about three years old. After completing a 
course in the local public schools and in Em- 
pire Business College, of Walla Walla, he en- 
gaged in farming, but in 1892 he opened a 
mercantile establishment in Dixie, and in 1893 
he was appointed postmaster. 

Mr. Cochran is a public-spirited man, ever 
ready to contribute his share toward the gen- 
eral progress, and always among the leaders 
in every forward movement. He is quite prom- 
inent in the I. O. O. F., being a charter mem- 
ber of W^elcome Lodge, Xo. 117, all the chairs 
of which have been occupied by him, also identi- 
fied with Sunshine Rebekah Lodge, No. 56. 



HON. JAMES H. LASATER, deceased. 
— No work which purports to review the lives 
of those who have taken a prominent part in 
the upbuilding of the west or any section of it 
could escape the imputation of incompleteness 
should it omit to make due mention of such 



men as the one whose name forms the caption 
of this article. \\'hile Mr. Lasater's character 
was too positive and aggressive to render all 
men his friends, his sincerity, unimpeachable 
integrity and uncompromising devotion to his 
convictions of right won for him the respect 
even of his opponents and gained him the sin- 
cere regard of all who admire true force of 
character. 

Born in ^Ic^Iinn county, Tennessee, on 
October 19, 1823, he spent the first twenty- 
seven years of his life in that locality. Llis 
early desire was to become a physician, and 
with characteristic energy he applied himself to 
the mastery of that profession. He graduated 
with the degree of 'SI. D.. but after practicing 
a short time and discovering that he had mis- 
taken his tastes abandoned the profession and 
set out for California. Returning to the east 
the following year, 1851, he began the study 
(if law under Judge William Kellogg, his places 
of residence during the years of his law read- 
ing being Canton and Bloomington, Illinois. 

In October, 1852, Mr. Lasater arrived in 
Oregon City, Oregon, and on February 22, 
1855, he was admitted to the bar of that state. 
He continued in practice there until April, 
1863, then came to Walla ^^'alla, of which city 
he became a representative citizen, taking the 
same unselfish interest in promoting the wel- 
fare of this locality which had characterized 
him in his relations with Oregon affairs. One 
of his first public acts after arriving here was 
to assist in the organization of the Democratic 
party, of which he was a prominent and influ- 
ential member, and which, shortly afterward, 
elected him to the ofiice of prosecuting attorney. 
He, however, refused to qualify. 

In 1869 Mr. Lasater was elected to the ter- 
ritorial legislature, and it was here that his 
deep-seated sincerity and uncompromising 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY, 



405 



fidelity to what he conceived to be right was 
broug-ht into full relief. He had previously 
served in the Oregon legislature, and the ex- 
perience there gained enabled him to maintain 
a place of leadership among his compeers and 
to become an efficient force in shaping legisla- 
tion. As indicating in some measure the ex- 
tent of Mr. Lasater's achievement after com- 
ing to the west, we may call attention to the 
fact that when he landed in Oregon his worldly 
wealth consisted of just one dollar. This he 
expended for bread. He managed to secure a 
job at manufacturing rails, then found employ- 
ment as a teacher, afterward working into 
the practice of law, in which he became very 
successful. For a number of years before his 
demise he was compelled to devote his entire 
time and attention to his real estate interests, 
so extensive had they become, and when he 
died he was possessed of some nineteen hun- 
dred acres of land in this county and in Uma- 
tilla county, Oregon, besides valuable realty in 
Walla Walla, the whole being worth probably 
forty thousand dollars. 

As a man, as a lawyer and as a legislator 
Mr. Lasater deserves the highest distinction, 
and posterity will accord to him an honored 
place among the builders and moulders of the 
northwest. 

On February 22, 1856, our subject became 
the husband of Mrs. Emily Scudder, nee 
Moore, a most estimable lady, possessed of the 
qualities of heart and mind for which pioneer 
women are famous. She crossed the plains 
with ox-teams in early days, experiencing many 
difficulties with Indians, and more than once 
narrowly escaping the cruel vengeance of the 
red men. The train discovered the remains of 
a dwelling that had been burned by the savages, 
after all the inmates had, as was supposed, been 
cruelly massacred. Search showed, however. 



that a baby and a girl about fourteen years 
old, whose scalp had been removed, were still 
ali\-e, and these were brought west with the 
emigrants. Mr. and Mrs. Lasater became the 
parents of six children, of whom three are still 
living: Julia A.; Alice M., now Mrs. Elron 
Edgerley; and Harry, all residing near Walla 
\\'alla. 

Mrs. Lasater died in December, 1875; her 
husband followed her to the tomb on August 
20, 1896, and their remains lie side by side in 
the Walla Walla cemetery. 



WILLLA-M H. MANN, one of the enter- 
prising young farmers of the vicinity of Eureka 
Junction, is a native of Lidiana, born April 12, 
1878. When only six years old he started 
traveling with his invalid father, and was a 
constant attendant upon the latter for four 
years. On July 13, 1888, at Hot Springs, 
Arkansas, the father died, and William H. then 
came direct to this county. Before long he lo- 
cated at Eureka Junction, where for several 
years he has been engaged in farming. He 
is an industrious, thrifty, self-reliant young 
man, and possesses those traits of character 
which insure success in any calling. He is at 
present farming six hundred and forty acres, 
raising wheat principally. 

His mother, now Mrs. George Struthers, 
is at present residing in Walla Walla. She was 
born and reared in Indiana, but came to Cali- 
fornia as early as 1879, and has lived in this 
state since 1882. She has six children living, 
three, Maude, Bessie and William H., by her 
marriage with Mr. j\lann. and three by her 
union with Mr. Struthers, namely, Harry, Guy 
and George. 

INfr. William H. Mann was married on De- 



4o6 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



cember 24. 1899, to Aliss Lanna McElhaney, 
a native of \\'alla Walla county. 'Sirs. Mann is 
a graduate of the Walla A\'alla high school. 



B. F. BRE\\"ER, a clerk in Tallman's drug 
store, was born in Walla Walla county in 1879. 
He lived in the vicinity of this city until about 
eleven years old, then accompanied the re- 
mainder of the family to Seattle, where he con- 
tinued his public school studies. He was in 
tiie high school there a while, but before com- 
pleting his course the family returned to ^^'alla 
Walla, and he continued his studies in the high 
school of this city. He organized the High 
School Cadets, a military company, and was 
their captain as long as he remained in the in- 
stitution. L'pon completing his education he 
entered the drug store of Mr. Tallman, where 
he has been clerking and studying pi armacy 
ever since. It is his intention to take a course 
in a pharmaceutical college, so as to make him- 
self thoroughly master of his chosen profession. 
He is a very bright and capable young man, 
already possessed of an excellent education, 
and he needs but a course of systematic pro- 
fessional training to insure a successful career 
as an apothecary. 



HARRY LASATER.— Born on May 18, 
1865, in the county with which this volume is 
primarily concerned, the son of one of the old- 
est and most prominent pioneers of the west, 
the subject of this brief biographical outline 
has gro\vn up to be a credit t.j his illustrious 
father and to the noble valley in which he was 
nurtured and educated. Though his tastes and 
disposition inclined him to adopt the independ- 



ent life of an agriculturist, he realized that 
whatever his calling it was advisable that he 
should cultivate to the extent of his abilities 
the powers of his min,d, so continued in study 
until he had completed a thorough course in 
Whitman Academy and passed through the 
freshman year in the college. 

He thereupon engaged with his brother 
^^'iley in managing his father's farm, contin- 
uing in this employment until 1890, when the 
farm was divided equally between him and his 
sister, Julia^ the brother, who had been his 
co-worker for the first few years after he left 
college, having died December i, 1885. Mr. 
Lasater has been giving his undivided atten- 
tion to agricultural pursuits on his own account 
ever since, and has long been regarded as one 
of the eminently successful ranchmen of the 
county. His place, which is known as the old 
]\Iullen farm, and which consists of three hun- 
dred and fifty-four acres of e.xcellent wheat 
land within about three miles of the city of 
\\'alla Walla, is one of the first farms that 
were cultivated and improved in the valley, and 
it is now well supplied with buildings, fences 
and equipments, while its fertile soil has been 
developed to the fullest by careful and intel- 
ligent tilling. 

While Mr. Lasater is a thrifty and assid- 
uous farmer, he never neglects his duties as a 
citizen, but takes an active interest in politics, 
local and general, manifesting a willingness to 
contribute his mite toward the general wel- 
fare, and to bear his portion of the public 
burdens. For three years he discharged the 
duties of road supervisor, which duties were 
imposed upon him by the suffrages of his neigh- 
bors. Fraternally he is prominently identified 
with the I. O. O. F., of which order he is a 
past conductor. 

On October 29, 1897, he married Miss 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



407. 



Jessie B. Crawford, also a native of Walla 
\\'alla. and a member of a respected pioneer 
family. They have nn- daughter. Thelma May, 
now about two vears old. 



\\"1LLL\M X. \\TSEI\L\N, a farmer, is 
a native of Washington, born February 5, 
i860. He had the distinction of having been 
the second child of white parents to be born 
in Walla Walla county. He received his edu- 
ci.tion in the local schools, then engaged in 
larming. renting his father's place. He also 
emjjarked in the livery business in the city of 
\\'alla Walla, following that for two years. 
He was, however, ambitious to become a farm- 
er on his own land, so, as soon as he con- 
veniently could, located a homestead and turned 
his attention to its development. He is thrifty, 
energetic and ambitious, and is now one of 
the successful and prosperous farmers of the 
county. 

'Sir. Wiseman's father and uncle were old 
pioneers of the valley, and the first to home- 
stead lands on Eureka fia;t. The former was for 
many years one of the leading agriculturists of 
his section of the state, but he has now retired 
and is living in Walla Walla. 

ilr. William N. Wiseman, whose life his- 
tory we are endeavoring briefly to outline, has 
long taken an active interest in the political 
and industrial well-being of the county, ever 
manifesting a willingness to do what he can 
for the general progress. He was a delegate 
I'l the last territorial Democratic convention 
vi hich was held in Sjxikane. So earnest was he 
in his convictions and so skillfully did he rep- 
resent the sentiment of those who sent him 
that he was chosen for the next convention, and 
lie has been honored by lieing elected delegate 



to every con\'ention since. He once served in 
the capacity of deputy county assessor. 

Mr. Wiseman was married in Walla Walla, 
November i, 1888, to Miss Lizzie A. Wight- 
man, also a native of this state, born June 17, 
1865. She was educated in the St. Paul school, 
of Walla Walla. Mr. and Mrs. Wiseman are 
the parents of two children living, namely : 
Ada A., born August 12, 1890, and Grace L., 
born April 26, 1893. Mr. Wiseman is a mem- 
ber of Clyde Lodge, No. S896, M. W. of A., 
of which he is clerk. 



R. G. CLANCY, a fruit grower at Dixie, 
? pioneer of 1863, was born in ^Missouri Sep- 
tember 2^, 1850. When he about two years 
old the family crossed the plains to Oregon, 
located in the Willamette valley and remained 
a1)out a decade. When thirteen, however, he 
accompanied them to Walla W'alla, and here he 
received the greater part of his education. His 
first occupation after leaving school was 
freighting to Lake Pend d' Oreille and various 
other points, but he afterwards engaged in 
farming. He gave his attention to agricult- 
ural pursuits in general until 1884, then bought 
his present place and confined his energies to 
fruit raising. He has a magnificent orchard of 
sixty-five acres, the second largest in the coun- 
ty, and is producing excellent fruit of all va- 
rieties. 

Mr. Clancy is a very active, energetic man, 
deeply interested in the welfare of his commu- 
• nity, though apparently not ambitious for per- 
sonal preferment of any kind, and not an as- 
pirant for any public oftice. His standing in 
the neighborhood is of the highest. He is cpiite 
prominent in the L O. O. F., has passed through 
all the chairs in the sulwrdinate lodge, and is 



4oS 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



now a menibei- of tlie grand lodge. He also 
affiliates with the K. O. T. 'SI. 

Mr. Clancy was married, in Walla Walla 
county. November 22, 1875, to jMiss Sarah J. 
Sanders, a native of Indiana, and a daughter 
of pioneer parents. They have five children, 
Albert C, John Floyd, Alice A.. Paul B. and 
Elva D. ^Ir. Clancy's father. Cornelius, who 
crossed the plains with o.\-teanis in 1853, and 
who became identified with Walla Walla coun- 
ty in 1S63. died at Dixie in 1S97. Ilis wife 
hatl preceded him to the grave by about five 
vcars. 



PROFESSOR WALTER A. BRATTON, 
A. B.. teacher of mathciuatics in Whitman 
College, was born in Stamford, \'ermont, in 
1874. He resided in his native state until 
twelve years old, receiving the advantages of 
the local public schools, then went to Drury 
Academy, North Adams, ilassachusetts, a 
classical preparatory school, where he was a 
student for four years. Subsequently he 
matriculated at Williams College, completed 
the course and graduated, receiving the degree 
of A. B. in 1S95. He then came to \\'hitman 
College to accept the chair of mathematics, and 
has been discharging the duties of that posi- 
tion ever since. 

Professor Bratton is a young man of un- 
usual ability, scholarly in every respect, and 
endowed with an excellent faculty of impart- 
ing information. His zeal for the progress of 
the institution in which he is employed is mani- 
fested not alone by the faithfulness witii which 
he discharges his own particular duties, but 
b\ the willingness he shows to be of service in 
other ways. For two years he was librarian 
of the college, making during that time the first 
card catalogue of its library. He next served 



as registrar for two years, and then as assist- 
ant treasurer and purchasing agent. He ex- 
pects to receive the degree of A. M. as soon 
as he returns to Williams College. His Greek 
letter fraternity is the Phi Beta Kappa, and he 
also belongs to the Washington State Phil- 
ological Association. 



JOHN R. HOOD, deceased.— No country 
of Europe has sent to our shores a larger num- 
ber of men who have distinguished themselves 
for their sterling integrity and sublime force 
of character tlian has '"the land o" a Burns and 
the land o" a Watt," and no part of that coun- 
Uy has been more prolific of men who have won 
distinction under our flag than that which is 
known to the muses as "Caledonia." In one of 
the most favored towns of this "fair and wild" 
section the subject of this brief memoir was 
torn, the date of his advent into this world 
being June 27. 1833, and the location of the 
parental hearthstone being Inverness, that his- 
toric city around which cluster events of past 
ages which have become familiar to all who 
have dipi>ed even superficially into Scottish his- 
tory and Scottish lore. 

Not less chivalrous than the heroes of his- 
tory and romance, ^Ir. Hood early conceived a 
passionate longing for adventure in distant 
lands, and this propensity grew with approach- 
irig manhood until at seventeen it forced him 
from the city which witnessed his birth and 
in which his education and early training had 
ijcen received. He passed a year and a half 
' in Glasgow as an academic professor, then, true 
to his ruling passion, took service aboard a 
sailing vessel bound for the East Indies. Two 
years later he was second officer on an East 
India merchant ship, and rising by dint of apti- 
tude and faithfulness to the position of first of- 




JOHN. K. HOOD. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUXTY. 



409 



ficer he continued to follow the high seas for 
ten years, experiencing adventures which 
would, if recorded, fill a large volume. 

Retiring from the sea in 1S60, our subject 
settled at \'ancouver. British Columbia, where 
he met and married ^liss Catherine Moar. the 
date of their wedding being September 20 of 
that year. In April, 1861, the couple moved 
to the ^^'alla Walla valley, where the liome of 
the family has ever since been. The same fear- 
less daring which had characterized Mr. Hood 
while plowing the seas with his East India 
merchantman made him a typical pioneer, and 
an efficient force in the work of bringing order 
out of primeval chaos and civilization out of 
barbarism. He became the owner of a fine 
farm of three hundred and twenty acres, all of 
which has been enclosed and brought to a high 
state of cultivation. This tract of land was the 
scene of his activities until January 14. 1S92, 
when he succumbed to the foe which no man 
can conquer. On October 26, 1893, his wife 
followed him to the tomb. 

^Ir. Hood's life had been so ordered in all 
respects as to win for him the esteem and con- 
fidence of those whose good fortune it was to 
know him. and his memory is cherished by all 
who were neighbors to him in the early days 
of \\'alla Walla valley. In religion he was a 
consistent and active member of the Methodist 
Episcopal church. 

Mr. and Mrs. Hood became the parents of 
two sons, John A. and Charles Edward, both 
of whom are represented more particularly in 
this work. 



was brought by his parents across the plains to 
Linn county, Oregon. He lived there until 
1864, then went to L'nion county, where he 
grew to manhood. He acquired his educa- 
tion in the Columbia Commercial College, of 
Portland, Oregon, then engaged in farming, a 
bi-.siness which he followed uninterruptedly 
until 1877, when he came to Walla Walla, Lo- 
cating subsequently at Waitsburg, this county, 
he again became a tiller of the soil, and that 
continued to be his business until 1884, in 
which year he moved to Dixie to engage in 
merchandising. Shortly afterwards he retired 
from that branch of trade and turned his at- 
tention to the business of buying, selling and 
storing wheat as the agent of the Pacific Coast 
Elevator Company, by which he is still em- 
ployed. ]\Ir. Koger is an energetic, industrious 
business man, a good citizen, and an esteemed 
member of society. He is prominent in Odd 
Fellowship, having passed through all the chairs 
in Welcome Lodge. Xo. 117, and once served 
as representative to the grand lodge of the state. 
He is also financial secretary of the K. O. T. 
M., of Dixie, and record keeper of Sunshine 
Lodge, Xo. 56. He was married, in \\'alla 
^^'alla, December 8, 1884, to Miss Sarah E. 
Eurgess, a native of Indiana, and a pioneer of 
1873. They have four living children, John 
W., Cassie M., Ernest and Uva Irena ; also one, 
^Iar\in, deceased, Mrs. Koger is a member 
of the Baptist church of Dixie. 



MARIOX KOGER, agent for the Pacific 
Coast Elevator Company at Dixie, a pioneer 
of 1877, was born in Polk county, Iowa, Feb- 
ruary 12, 1853. Before he was a year old he 



JOXATHAX T. A\TSEMAX, a fanner 
residing in Walla Walla, a pioneer of 1853, 
was born in Warren count)-, Tennessee, Sep- 
tember 5, 1833. He was reared and educated 
in Arkansas, whither his father had taken him 
wiien he was five years old. His mother had 
died in 1836, and his father, one of the earliest 



4IO 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



settlers of Arkansas, also passed away in 
1848. 

When Mr. Wiseman reached the age of 
twenty years he started in life for himself, and 
knowing that the opportunities for a young 
man were better in the west, he at once started 
for California, making the trip with ox-teams. 
A\'hen the party reached Fort Bridger. just east 
o*' Salt Lake. Utah, they decided to come to 
Oregon, so directed their journey northward 
a little. Mr. Wiseman stopped three months 
at Whitman station, then proceeded to Port- 
land, where he remained until April. 1855. en- 
erasred as steward on the "Belle" and the "Lot 
^^'hitcomb," steamboats plying on the Colum- 
bia and Willamette rivers. After leaving their 
service he went to California to engage in 
placer mining in the Yreka district. In this 
ht was fairly successful, but in June. 1857. he 
started on a return trip overland to Arkansas, 
the state in which his early youth had been 
passed, where he farmed for two years, there- 
after coming overland again, his objective point 
being Walla Walla. This was the third time 
he had crossed the plains. 

L'pon arriving here Mr. \\'iseman took a 
homestead on Dry creek and engaged in the 
business of stock raising, an industry which 
he followed successfully for fifteen consecutive 
years. He then resided in Walla \\'alla for 
five years, thereafter purchasing a six-himdred- 
and-forty-acre farm on Eureka flat, which he 
still owns and farms, and on which he lived un- 
til 1898. when he moved back to the city. Our 
subject is the owner of an elegant home and 
six lots on Second street, and is passing the 
evening of his life in peace and abundance. He 
has long been a leader in the industrial develop- 
ment of the county, and has manifested an 
active interest in the public institutions of his 
vicinitv and in tlie cause of education. He 



served as school director in his district for 
twelve years. 

Mr. Wiseman married, on March 20. 1S59, 
^liss Xancy E. Estes, a native of Arkansas, 
and their union has been blest by the advent of 
eleven children: William X.: Jeff Davis: Jo- 
sephine, now Mrs. Harry Abbott, of Walla 
Walla; Irene F., wife of Thomas Cope, of 
Clyde, Washington; Mary E., wife of Joseph 
Harvey, of this city: Charles H., deceased; 
Dollie E., B. Ethel. ]Martha E., Thomas 
Arthur, Elmer E.. all at home with their par- 
ents. The familj- are members of the First 
Christian church of Walla Walla. 

Mrs. Wiseman's father. Mr. Thomas Estes, 
was born in Xorth Carolina in March, 1799. 
He came to this valley in 1861. and died here 
in August. 18S6. His good wife followed him 
to the tomb on Xovember 19. 1889, and the 
two lie buried together in the cemetery on 
Eureka flat. Mr. Estes was a strong southern 
Democrat, but was always an opponent of 
slavery and never owned a slave. Both he and 
^!rs. Estes were highly esteemed by all. and 
possessed the sincere affection of not a few. 



FRAXCIS I. SIMPSOX, farmer and 
blacksmith, is a son of the west, having been 
born in the state of Oregon on June 6. 1864. 
He received such education as the public schools 
afforded, then engaged in the stock business, 
an industr}- which he followed imtil 1893. He 
then came to Spokane and engaged in farm 
work for a couple of years, but in 1895 he 
moved to the vicinity oi Clyde, purchased land 
and engaged in farming. He now owns and 
cultivates three hundred and eighty acres of 
land in that neighborhood, on which he raises 
wheat principally. He is one of the good, sub- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



4" 



stantial citizens of the county, pulilic-spirited, 
liberal and progressive, and liiglily esteemed 
and respected by those vvlio know Iiim Ix-st. In 
fraternal affiliations he is connected with the 
A. O. U. W. at Prescott. He was married in 
Oregon, December 24, 1886, to Miss Nellie 
Perry, a native of California, and th3y have 
become tlic parents of two children : Lela E., 
born June 29, 1887, and Oval, horn December 
22, 1889. 



cease he remained a widower, hut on April 2, 
1899, he married Miss Gertrude E. Fuller, a 
native of Wisconsin. 



RUFUS CLAPP, a farmer at Prescott, 
was born in North Carolina April 19, 1846. 
When six years old he accompanied his par- 
ents to Tennessee, where for five years his fa- 
ther was engaged in the grist mill industry. 
In 1857 they came north to Iowa and turned 
their attention to farming, and this was Mr. 
Clapp's business until 1864, wdien he enlisted 
in the Union army. He served during the 
final year of the war, then returned home for 
a visit, but shortly afterwards started with ox- 
teams across the country to Central City, Col- 
orado, where he was engaged in mining until 
1882. In that year he came to Washington, 
via San I'Vancisco and Portland, finally lo- 
cating in what is known as Manion Hollow, 
five and a half miles east of Clyde. He home- 
steaded a (|uarter-section of land and engaged 
in stock raising and general farming. 

Being an ambitious, enterprising man, Mr. 
Clapp has steadily extended his real estate hold- 
ings until he is now the owner of about one 
thousand acres, all good farm land. He is one 
of the most extensive and prosperous tillers of 
the soil in Walla Walla county. Mr. Clapp 
was married first in June, 1872, and his wife 
died July 5, 1882, leaving three children, 
Francis M., Leroy D. and Dora M. For more 
than sixteen years after his first wife's de- 



JOHN H. KERSHAW, a farmer and 
stock raiser at Dixie, a pioneer of i86r, was 
born in England on December 29, 1838. In 
1 84 1 his mother, wdio was a widow, brought 
him and his two brothers and sister to Amer- 
ica. They lived in New York, Pennsylvania, 
Rhode Island and Massachusetts for varying 
periods of time until 1856, the boys working in 
factories and wherever they could find employ- 
ment to .support themselves and hel]i their 
niother. In 1856 they removed to Illinois, 
where for over four years they were engaged 
in farming. In 1861 the mother and her three 
sons (the sister had been accidentally drowned 
in New York) came across the plains in the 
primitive fashion in vogue in those days to 
Walla Walla valley. They located at Dixie, 
took up land and began farming and raising 
stock. The mother died in 1875, and was the 
first person buried in Dixie cemetery. One of 
the brothers, Willam J. Kershaw, was accident- 
ally killed in 1891, and the two surviving mem- 
bers of the family are still farming and rais- 
ing cattle in the locality in which they first 
settled. They are among the oldest and best 
known residents of their neighborhood, hav- 
ing lived there before the town of Dixie came 
ir.to existence. 



ULYSSES H. BERNEY is a native of 
Switzerland, born in 1862. He sjjcnt the first 
eighteen years of his life in his fatherland, ac- 
quiring a thorough public-school education 
there. In 1881 he came to St. Paul, Minne- 



412 



HISTORY OF W^-VLLA WALLA COUNTY. 



sota, ■\vliere for six months he worked in a 
store during the day and attended school at 
night. He then niaved to CaHfornia and after 
spending a year on a fruit farm came to Walla 
Walla, whence, soon afterwards, he removed 
to Klickitat county. He was in the stock rais- 
ing industry there for six years, then sold out 
and returned to A\'a]la Walla. Here he im- 
mediately engaged in fruit raising, and a few 
}ears later started the shipping-house in part- 
nership with his hrother-in-law, John Thonney. 
The house has acquired an enviable reputa- 
tion and their goods are in demand all over 
the northwest, also in man)' eastern cities and 
some of their fruit even goes to Europe. Thus 
their industry, progressiveness, business abil- 
ity and alertness to know what the demands 
of the times are and to provide for them have 
enabled them to build up a large and profitable 
business. 

iMr. Berney was married, in 1887. to Miss 
Anna Rochat, of St. Paul, Alinnesota, and he 
and Mrs. Berney are now the parents of eight 
children. The entire family left their home in 
the fall to see the Paris Exposition and visit 
^Ir. Bernev's relatives in French Switzerland. 



DR. \\"ALTER E. RUSSELL, physician 
and surgeon, 25 E. ]\Iain street, was born in 
!Milledgeville, Illinois, in 1858. He was reared 
in the town of his birth and educated in the 
local public school. During the time inter- 
vening between his twentieth and tw^entj'-fifth 
year he was engaged in the dual occupation of 
farming and school teaching, but he then en- 
tered the Hahnemann Medical College, of Chi- 
cago, from which institution he received the 
degree of Doctor of Medicine in 18S9. He has 
since spent two years in post-graduate work, 



being ambitious to become very proficient in his 
chosen profession. Immediately after grad- 
uating he came out to Walla \\'alla county 
and located at \A'aitsburg, but in January of 
the ensuing )-ear he removed to Walla Walla, 
where he has maintained offices for the prac- 
tice of medicine ever since. 

Dr. Russell is a thorough and diligent 
student of his profession, devoting his entire 
time to it alone, and he has long been recog- 
nized as one of the leading practitioners of 
his system in the state. At present he is dis- 
charging the duties of city health officer of 
Walla Walla. The Doctor is a very active man 
in the Masonic order, being identified with all 
of its branches from the blue lodge to the com- 
mandery, also district lecturer of the fraternity 
and one of the five custodians of the work. He 
is. moreover, quite prominent in the A. O. 
U. W., being grand foreman for the state. Dr. 
Russell was married, in this city, in 1898, to 
Mrs. N. S. Garrahan, a native of California, 
and a member of a pioneer family of that state. 



ELROX EDGERLEY, a farmer residing 
on the upper ]\Iilton road, three miles south of 
Walla \\'alla. was born in Princeton, Wash- 
ington ccnnity, Maine, and in that town he 
grew to manhood and was educated. He re- 
mained at home with his father on the farm 
until 1883, when he came to California. For 
eight years after his arri\ al in the Golden state 
he followed logging as an occupation, but in 
1 89 1 he came to Walla Walla, settled on the 
farm on which we now find him and engaged in 
raising wheat, hay and stock. He is a thrifty, 
industrious man. successful in liis business and 
highly esteemed as a man and a citizen. He 
manifests a livelv and intehigent interest in 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



413 



all local affairs, but is not ambitious for po- 
litical preferment, and has never held any of- 
fice except that of road supervisor. 

In fraternal affiliations Mr. Edgerley is 
identified with the Woodmen of the World. 
He was married, in Walla Walla, on January 
26, 1890, to Miss Alice M. Lasater, a native 
of the \-alley, whose parents, J. H. and Emily 
Lasater, were early pioneers of the county. 
Her father died in 1896, and her mother in 
1875. Mr. Edgerley 's father is still living at 
Princeton, Maine, and is enjoying good health, 
though seventy-eight years old, but his mother 
passed away in January, 1871. Both were 
early pioneers of their section and highly re- 
spected by all with whom they came in contact. 

Mr. and Mrs. Edgerley have a family of 
three children, Emily E., Elron E. and Harry 
L., all at home with their parents. The family 
have real estate interests near Princeton, Maine, 
in Oregon and in the town of Eureka, Hum- 
boldt countv, California. 



JOHN H. FULLER, a farmer four miles 
north of Dixie, a pioneer of 1883, was born in 
Arkansas March 17, 1871. He passed the first 
twelve years of his life in that state, and be- 
gan his education there, but his father and 
mother then came overland to Walla Walla 
county and of course he accompanied them. 
He completed his education here, then pro- 
cured a tract of land 'and engaged in farming, 
an occupation which he has followed contin- 
uously since. He is a young man of push and 
energy and is rapidly coming to the front as 
one of the well-to-do and comfortable farmers 
of his neighborhood. He was married in Dixie, 
in April, 1896, to Miss Mary Kershaw, a na- 
tive of that town, and they have one son, Em- 
erson H. 



;\Ir. Fuller's father, John W., was a native 
of Missouri, born in 1844. He was reared on 
a farm and followed that business all his life 
except during the Civil war, when, true to his 
convictions of what patriotism and duty re- 
quired, he took up arms in defense of the 
Union and served four full years. Coming 
to Walla Walla in 1883, he engaged in farm- 
ing in the vicinity of this city, following the 
same until his death, which occurred Februarv 
25, 1887. He was married, in Arkansas, to 
Miss Elizabeth Underwood, a native of that 
state, and to their union seven children were 
born, two of whom are still living : John H. ; 
and Anna, wife of Garland Taylor, of Waits- 
Inirg. Mrs. Fuller followed her husband to 
the tomb December 31, 1900. 



JOHN REHORN, a carpenter residing at 
416 W. Alder street, a pioneer of 1871, was 
born at Niederkleen, near \\'etzlar, Germany, 
^larch I, 1846. He resided there until twenty 
years old, receiving the customary public-school 
education, and learning the carpenter trade. 
In 1866 he came with his mother and sisters to 
the United States, landing in New York, 
whence, after remaining only ten days, they 
came via Panama to Canyon City, Oregon, 
where Mr. Reborn worked in the placer mines 
until 1869, washing out the gold on his own 
account. Returning then to San Francisco he 
followed his trade in that city as a journey- 
man for two years, after which he came direct 
to Walla Walla, where he has worked at his 
handicraft continuously since, except between 
the years 1886 and 1892, when he was operat- 
ing a brewery owned by him at Pomerov, 
Washington. 

'Sir. Rehnrn learned his trade thorouehlv 



414 



HISTORY OF WALLA ^^•ALLA COUNTY. 



in the first place, as all must who serve an ap- 
prenticeship in Germany, and he has followed 
the same line assiduously and almost uninter- 
ruptedly for more than thirty years, so that, 
as would naturally be exiiected, he has at- 
tained a skill and thoroughness in his craft 
seldom found in carpenters on the coast. As 
a man and a citizen, also, his standing is of 
the highest. He has given substantial evidence 
of his interest in Walla ^^■alla by serving for 
nine full years as a member of Tiger Volunteer 
Fire Department. He is prominently identi- 
fied with Enterprise Lodge, Xo. 2. L O. O. 
F.. of which he is a past noble grand. 

In Walla Walla, on September 25, 1877, 
our subject married Amalia Anchutz, a native 
of \\"aco, Texa-5, and to their union seven chil- 
dren have been born: John H., a farmer; 
Frederich C a clerk; Walter R., a graduate 
of the high school, at present learning the trade 
of a machinist; Frank, a lumber handler; and 
Henrv. Louisa and Christina, in school. ^Irs. 
Reborn's father was killed in Texas during 
the Civil war on account of his L'nion prin- 
ciples. 



ROBERT McCOOL, a farmer and stock 
raiser, a pioneer of 1S59, was born in count}- 
Donegal, Ireland, in 1S18, He remained in 
liis fatherland until 1858, receiving a public 
school education, and then engaging in farm- 
ing. \\'hen he arrived in New York, he found 
to his dismay that he had to return to Liver- 
pool, his money having been retained there by 
mistake, and the complications being such that 
the matter could not be adjusted without his 
presence. 

Mr. McCool came right back to America, 
however, and started via the Panama route for 
"Walla \\'alla, where he arrived, April 29. 1859. 



He has ever since been engaged in farming and 
stock raising, his home being not far from the 
fort. He now has four hundred acres on 
Stone creek which is still owned by the family 
and farmed by his sons. Mr. McCool is a thrif- 
ty, industrious man, and an esteemed member 
of society. He was married in Bar Head, 
Scotland, in 1847, to ^liss Maggie O'Donnell, 
a native of his home county in Ireland, whose 
death occurred in Walla Walla, December 11. 
1896. To their union were born six children, 
Hugh, a miner and mine owner, at present 
engaged in buying horses for the United States 
government : James, a farmer at the head of 
Birch creek, in Oregon: Marv Ann, who died 
in Ireland ; ^largaret, later Mrs. James ^lonna- 
ghan, of Spokane, now deceased ; Ellen, who 
was the wife of Edward 0"Shea, of Spokane, 
deceased; and one that died in infancy. The 
familv are members of Rev. Father Flohr's 
church in Walla Walla. 



SAMUEL B. SWEENEY, a grain buyer, 
residence | | ) Crescent street, Walla Walla, 
was born in Marion county. Oregon, in 1858. 
He passed the first six years of his life there, 
then three years in Lewiston, Idaho, then a 
short time in California, whence he removed 
with his parents to Albany, Oregon. He had 
been a pupil in the public schools of all these 
places, also enjoyed the advantages of a college 
in California, and the Albany Collegiate Insti- 
tute. 

Coming to Walla \\'alla county, at an early 
date he. with L. K. Grim, took charge of 
\\'hitman Academy, now in connection with 
Whitman College, and he was thus employed 
for two years. He afterwards entered the em- 
ploy of the Oregon Railway & Navigation 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



4«5 



Company, taking, in ]Mr. Hill's place, charge of 
the transfer at Wallula. Three years later, he 
moved the transfer to Umatilla, and assumed 
charge of it in that town, his duties being to 
oversee the remo\-aI of freight from the trains 
to the steamboats and vice versa. Later, he 
was given similar duties to perform at The 
Dalles, and he distinguished himself there, as 
he had done in other places, by accomplishing 
more with the same number of men than could 
be accomplished by the other overseers who 
were given a trial. A vear afterwards, he was 
mo\-ed by the companv to Sand Point, and 
promoted to the assistant superintendency, and 
after a year's service there he went to Port- 
land to settle the construction report for the 
Northern Pacific Railroad Company. That 
task required three and a iialf months, and 
when it had been carried to a successful termi- 
nation he came back to the city of Walla 
Walla. For a number of years, he has been oc- 
cupied as a grain buyer and shipper here, hand- 
Hng immense quantities of wheat and other 
cereals every year. He recently returned from 
a trip to Cape Nome, where he has some good 
mining property. 

Mr. Sweeney is one of the l)est and most 
successful business men of this section, being- 
possessed of the foresight and good judg- 
ment requisite for success in the difficult branch 
of commerce in which he is engaged. He 
was married in Walla \\'alla, March i, 1891, 
to Miss Adna Fudge, a member of a pioneer 
family. They have two children, Philips 
Brooks, and Elynore Frances. 



JOSEPH J. MANGAN, excavating and 
street grading contractor, residing at 435 S. 
Seventh street, was born in Fond du Lac, \Vis- 



consin, November i, 1858. He remained there 
until twenty-two years old, acquiring a good 
public school education, and afterwards work- 
ing on his mother's farm. In the fall of 
1880, the family started for Walla Walla, ar- 
riving in November, and Mr. Mangan turned 
his attention to teaming, an occupation which 
he followed for two years. Removing then to 
Garfield county, he purchased a homestead 
right, and on the land thus secured he lived and 
farmed continuously until 1896, when he sold 
out, mii\'ed into Walla Walla, and engaged in 
the business in which we now find him. While 
on the farm, he also had charge for three years 
of the warehouse and tramway, near Wawawai 
ferr}-, and he is still a stockholder in the com- 
pany. 

Mr. Mangan has been and is a very success- 
ful man in whatever he has undertaken. He 
is one of the reliable men and esteemed citi- 
zens of the city in which he lives, enjoying 
the confidence and respect of those who know 
him. He is quite active in fraternal circles, 
being identified with the Modern Woodmen of 
America, guide of the A. O. U. W., and a mem- 
ber of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. He was 
married in Walla Walla, January 10, 1884. to 
Miss Mary Whooley, a native of Wisconsin, 
and they have had eight children : Cornelius 
D. ; Mary E. and Joseph L., twins; M. Louisa, 
i\L Agnes, and George M. Dewey, all at home 
and attending De La Salle and St. \'incent's 
Academy; also Daniel and John T. E,, Ijorli 
deceased. 

Mr. Mangan's mother, Mrs. Mary Mangan, 
was born in New Brunswick, August 19, 
1 8 19. She became identified with Walla Walla 
in 1880, after spending a g^reat many years in 
Wisconsin. When her family was quite young, 
she was deprived of her husband by death, 
but, by judicious management and great effort. 



4i6 



HISTORY OF \VALL.\ WALLA COUXTY. 



she succeeded in rearing and educating the 
j-oung people and in bringing tlieni up to be- 
come useful and esteemed members of society. 
Mrs. Mangan was a devout Catholic, and all 
her diildreii are also members of tliat church. 
At tlie time of her death, which occurred on 
March i j, iqoo. at the home of her son Joseph, 
she being then eighty years and six months 
old, she had twenty-three grandchildren and 
twelve great grandcJiildren. 



HOX. JAMES M. L.\MB, deceased, a 
pioneer of 1S59. was bom in Logan county, 
Kentucky. FebruaT\- 19, 1835. He was reared 
and educated in his native, state and in 
Oregon, Missouri, but in 1854 came with 
his parents over tlie long trail to Cali- 
fornia, traveling with ox-teams. They lived 
where the present \\"oodland is for five 
years, tlien came to Walla Walla county, 
and locateil on a farm on Dry creek, one mile 
south of Dixie, where Mr. Lamb's home was 
continuously thereafter until his death, which 
occurred in Lodi. San Joaquin county, Califor- 
nia, March 5, 1898. He was the owner of three 
hundred and sixt}- acres of land in the \-icinity 
of Dixie and was engaged in farming and 
stock raising, also in general blacksmitliing 
during all the \-ears of his residence there- 
Mr. Lamb was a prominent man in political 
circles, and a leader of the Democratic party, 
which elected him to the territorial l^sla- 
tnre in 1867. He was active, energetic, 
industrious and public-spirited, ever ready to do 
what lay in his power for the advancement of 
the general welfare and the cause of good local 
government. Religiously, he was identified 
with the Christian church. 

Mr. Lamb marTiei1,.in Sonoma county, Cali- 



fornia. December 17, 1856, Miss Jane Pearce, 
a native of Kentucky, who came with her par- 
ents to California by the overland route, shortly 
before her wedding. To their union were born 
eleven children, John D., in Walla Walla; 
Georgia Ann, wife of G. W. Howard, of Oak- 
land, California; ^Martha E., wife of A. H. 
Johnson, of Potter valley. California; Cora, 
widow of James Cation, Walla Walla; and 
William T. and Daniel W., liA-ing; also five 
deceased. The family still own and farm the 
land near Dixie, and they also have title to 
some valuable residence property in Walla 
Walla. 



RASSEL.\S P. REYNOLDS, city clerk 
of Walla A\'alla. was bom in Fort \\"a\Tie. In- 
diana. Januan,' 23, 1S43. He was reared there 
and in Whiteside count}', Illinois, w-liither his 
family moved in 1854. He received his edu- 
cation in the public scliools, and in the State 
Normal University of Bloomington, Illinois, 
from which institution he would doubtless have 
graduated had not the call of patriotism sum- 
moned him to fight the stem battles of the re- 
public. To that call he. with most of tlie teach- 
ers and other students, responded promptly. 
On August 21, 1861, he enlisted in Company 
A, Thirty-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry, 
and from then until December 24. 1865. his 
connection with tlie anny of the Union was 
never severed. He participated in the \"ick5- 
burg campaign, the siege of Mobile and other 
great operations of the war, being present in 
numerous engagements. 

In the spring of 1866 Mr. Re\niolds started 
for Washington witli a government sur\-e\nng 
party, and in the fall of that year he reached 
\\'alla Walla. In 1869 he was appointed clerk 
of the L'nited States district cv>urt, a position 




RASSELAS r. REYNOLDS 



HISTORY, OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



41? 



which he retained for the ensuing three years. 
He then became bookkeeper in Repiolds and 
Day's bank, and was employed by tliem until 
1S79. The next year, 1880, he moved to Al- 
powa, \\'ashington, where for the following 
six years he kept a general store and a ware- 
house. Returning to Walla Walla he engaged 
in the business of painting roofs with a special 
material of his own manufacture. In January, 
1899, he was appointed city clerk to complete 
an unexpired term ; in July of the same year he 
was elected to that office, and in July, 1900, 
he was re-elected. 

Mr. Reynolds is one of the leaders in the 
local politics of the city and county. He is 
public spirited and enterprising, and has earned 
an honored place among the progressive men 
of that section. FraternalU- he is a charter 
member of A. Lincoln Post, No. 4, G. A. R., 
of which he is past commander. He was mar- 
ried in Walla Walla, on October 28, 18S8, to 
iliss Carrie 'SI. Baker, a native of Maine. 



FRANK \'ILLA, a gardener residinAf one 
mile south of the city limits of Walla Walla, 
was born near Genoa, Italy, in May, 1837. 
He remained in his sunny fatherland until 
eighteen years old attending the local public 
schools, then decided to try the more rigorous 
New York, so emigrated to that city. After 
a residence of only lifteen days, however, he 
embarked on a vessel bound for the south, and 
came via Nicaragua to Calavera county, Cali- 
fornia, where he worked in the placer mines 
for seven years. He then followed market gar- 
dening in East Portland, Oregon, about eight 
years, after which he took a trip to his native 
land. 

In November, 1878, Mr. Villa came to 
27 



\\'alla A\'alla, and bought a place of thirty-five 
acres, upon which he now resides, his business 
being to raise fruits and vegetables for the 
supply of the local markets. He is an indus- 
trious, thrifty man, possessed of the skill in 
gardening and fruit culture for which men of 
his nationality are noted. He took his first 
citizenship papers in California in October, 
1858, and at the time of the Snake river Indian 
war, he testified his willingniess to defend the 
country to wliich he then swore allegiance by 
offering his services to the government. He 
participated in the battles at Camp Crook and 
Camp Warner, also in the last fight near the 
mouth of Malheur ri\er, where the Indians 
surrendered, but he escaped without a wound. 
He endured a great deal of hardship in this 
campaign, the winter being unusually severe, 
but his excellent constitution prevented any 
serious effects upon his health. 

^Ir. ^'illa was married in Portland, Ore- 
gon, April J, 1872, to Miss Marie Reible, a 
native of Switzerland, and they have five chil- 
dren, Frank G. R., an attorney, now at Cape 
Nome; ^lamic, residing with her parents; 
Amelia C. a trained nurse; Harriet, a school 
teacher; and Eleanor, a student in St. Paul's 
Academy. Mr. Villa and his children are 
members of the Catholic church, but Mrs. 
\'illa belongs to the German Lutheran church. 



EDWARD H. MANGAN, a contractor 
residing at 115 North Fifth street, a pioneer 
of 1880, was born in Fond du Lac, \\'isconsin. 
May 13, 1854 He received a public school 
education, then worked on his father's farm 
until twenty-six years of age, after which he 
came direct to the Walla Walla valley, where 
he homesteaded one luuulred and sixty acres. 



4i8 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



situated between Dry creek and the Touchet. 
He resided on it three years, then proved up, 
paving tlie government price. Sliortly after- 
wards he sold out. and went to Montana to 
become an employe of the X. P. R. R-, helping 
to construct its track through that state and 
Idaho. 

After remaining with the company ten 
months, Mr. Mangan took service with the 
O. R. & X. Company, in Washington and 
Oregon, as a carpenter. He assisted in building 
numerous depots for that company, and put in 
the first turn table at Pendleton, also the first 
turn table at Blue Mountain station, after the 
road was changed to a broad gauge and con- 
tiued through to Pendleton. 

After serving that company atout twenty- 
two months, he returned to \\'alla Walla, and 
went to work as a journeyman carpenter, which 
was his business for about four years, during 
which time he assisted in the construction of 
the Catholic church and many other imposing 
structures. But since 1887 he has been con- 
tracting for himself. He has erected many of 
the finest buildings in the valley, among them, 
Mr. John Martin's elegant residence on Dry 
creek, :Mr. Ryan's residence, ^Mr. Joseph Fal- 
lon's residence, and Mrs. Fasset's brick biuld- 
ing, in which is Prendergast Bakery, also Mr. 
IMcCool's beautiful residence. During the 
wheat season, Mr. Mangan busies himself in 
building elevators, using on an average four 
hundred thousand feet of lumber in that indus- 
trv per annum. He is a very enterprising, ener- 
getic man and one of the most skillful and 
successful builders in this section of the Xorth- 
west. His time and attention for many years 
have been devoted almost exclusively to his 
handicraft and to contracting, with the natural 
result that he is now able to succeed where 
others less experienced would fail. 



Mr. Mangan is identified with the Y. M. I. 
and the I. O. E., of ^^'alla Walla. He mar- 
ried in this city, on June 18, 1888, Mrs. Katie 
Siuith. a member of the Roman Catholic 
church, to which he also belongs. 



ROBERT E. LYXCH.— An enterprising 
young business man, a mechanic of no mean 
abilitv, and a citizen who commands the res- 
pect and confidence of the community in which 
he was born and in which his home has always 
been, the man whose name forms the caption 
of this article is deserving of representation 
among the forces which have made and which 
will continue to develop the county with the 
history of which our volume is concerned. 

yir. Lynch was born in this city in 1872. 
and in the public schools here established he 
acquired his education. Shortly after gradua- 
tion, he succeeded in passing the teachers' ex- 
amination, receiving the highest grade certifi- 
cate which could be lawfully awarded to one 
without experience in teaching. He then learned 
the plumbing trade, taking his initial lessons 
under a firm now out of business and com- 
pleting his apprenticeship in Portland. Oregon, 
to which city he went for the purpose in 1889. 
After an absence of eighteen months he re- 
turned to this part of the country, whence he 
shortly afterward moved to -Moscow. Idaho. 
He was in charge of a plumbing establishment 
there one year, then returned to Walla \\'alla 
to accept a position with G. H. Sutherland, by 
whom he was employed for a period 'of three 
years. 

Desiring then to see more of the country, 
he started on a trip east, going as far as Chica- 
go, and working in different towns on the road. 
A vear later, he returned to Walla ^^'alla and 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



419 



opened a shop, equipped with all things neces- 
sary for an effective business in plumbing, 
steam and gas fitting, etc. He was alone in 
this venture for three years, after which he 
took Mr. O'Rourke into partnership and con- 
solidated his business with that of W. J. j\lc- 
Graw. Tliey have enjoyed an excellent patron- 
age, and have been instrumental in bringing 
about many valuable improvements in the sani- 
tary condition of the city. 

Fraternally, Mr. Lynch is identified with 
the Catholic Knights, and the Young Men's 
Institute, and he also belongs to the volunteer 
fire department. 



NICHOLAS SEIL, proprietor of the shoe 
store at No. 20 Main street, a pioneer of 
1878, was born in the province of Luxemburg, 
August 19, 1846. He was brought by Ins 
parents to the United States when eight years 
old, but had the misfortune to lose his father 
by death shortly after their arrival in New 
York state. He was kindly cared for by an 
uncle, who took him to Alassillon, Ohio, educat- 
ed him in the parochial schools of the Catholic 
church, and also taught him the trade of a 
shoemaker. When he became about twenty- 
three years old, he emigrated to Oregon. For 
the two years following his arrival, he resided 
in Portland, but in 1873 'i^ returned to Mas- 
sillon, Ohio, and purchased an interest in a 
shoe establishment, his' partner being Mr. Nich- 
olas Hanson. 

After being in business there for a year, 
our subject sold out to Mr. Hanson, and 
-worked at his trade there about three years. 
afterward returning to Scio, Oregon, where he 
l)ecame foreman of a shoe shop. He later pur- 
-r.hased all the tools and e(|uipments, and moved 



to Walla Walla, where, in 1876, he opened a 
custom-made shop. His business increased 
until he was soon able to keep six men em- 
ployed. He later added ready-made shoes, 
and gradually built up and extended his trade 
until his quarters became inadequate and he 
moved to the quarters in which we now find 
him, and which have been occupied by him for 
the past sixteen years. In business, Mr. Seil 
is carefid and conservative, yet progressive, 
and to these qualities, together with an untir- 
devotion to the mastery of details, his success 
is largely due. He is public-spirited and ever 
ready to contribute his share toward the fur- 
therance of worthy public enterprises or to 
charity, but is especially active in the affairs of 
the Catholic church, to which he has always 
belonged. 

In fraternal afiiliations, he is identified with 
the C. K. of A. and the German Maennerchor. 
In May, 1886, he married Mis.-; Susan 
Schrantz, a native of Wisconsin, whose home 
was in Portland, Oregon, at that time. To 
their union have been born two children, 
Emma C. and Edward F. 



WILLLXM H. HAYS, a farmer at Pres- 
cott, is a native of Missouri, born May 3. 
1858. He grew to man's estate there, his busi- 
ness after he became old enough being farm- 
ing. In 1886^ he went to Colorado, and after 
a very brief residence there remo\ed to Wash- 
ington. He passed one winter in this state, 
.but in the s])ring returned to his old home in 
the east. He seems to iiave been pleased with 
the west, however, for in the spring of i88g 
he sold the old Missouri home, and returne<I 
to the Inland Iuu])ire. 

Locating at Prescott, Mr. Hays was en- 



420 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



gaged as a lal)orer tliere for a year, but he 
subsequentlj' went to the Big Bend country. 
and took a homestead. The next year, how- 
ever, he returned to Prescott, rented land and 
engaged in farming, an occupation which he 
has ever since followed. In 1898, he purchased 
a fine tract of 494 acres, two and a half miles 
northeast of Prescott, where his home now is. 
He is one of the thrifty and substantial citi- 
zens of that neighborhood, and bears an en- 
viable reputation wherever he is known. He 
has served for the past two years as road su- 
pervisor of his district, and in numerous other 
ways has at all times manifested his interest 
in the general welfare. He is, in fraternal 
connection, a member of the Ancient Order of 
United Workmen, and the Independent Order 
of Odd Fellows. 

In August, 1S77, Mr. Hays married Miss 
IMary A. Wheatly, a native of Missouri, and to 
their union have been born two children, 
Henry A., and Minnie M. Mrs. Hays is a 
member of the Degree of Honor, the ladies' 
auxiliarv to the L'nited Workmen. 



J. H. MORRO\\'. of the firm of Morrow & 
Son, proprietors of the W'aitsburg Department 
Store, was liorn in Randolph county, ]\Iis- 
souri, in 1853. He resided in the state of his 
nativity until twenty years old, acquiring his 
eilucation in the public schools, and in McGee 
College, where he took a complete classical 
course. In 1874, he removed to California, 
and for the ensuing three years he was en- 
gaged as a teacher there. He then came to 
Walla Walla and accepted the principalship of 
what is now known as the Baker district, his 
assistants being Miss Martin and iliss John- 
son. In July, 1878, he accepted a position 
with Preston Powell & Company, of Waits- 



burg, by whom he was employed for five or 
si.K years. He then engaged in the notion 
business, but in 1887 he embarked in his pres- 
ent line, namely, general merchandise. 

Mr. Morrow has always met with good suc- 
cess in his business ventures, being a man who 
combines industry and strict attention to de- 
tails with shrewdness and sagacity. He is. 
moreover, a public-spirited citizen, ever ready 
to do his share for the general welfare, and for 
the progress and development of the town in 
which he resides. For several years he was 
a member of the city council. Six years ago 
he served a term as mayor, and at present he 
is again serving in that capacity. He belongs 
to all liranches of Masonry up to and includ- 
ing the Commandery, also affiliates with the 
Knights of Pythias. Mr. ]\Iorrow married, in 
California, in 1876, !Miss Emma C. Glotzbach, 
a native of that state, and they had three 
children. Piatt Preston, Calla and Clara. 



JOHN C. STOREY, a farmer at Dixie, a 
pioneer of 1870, was born in Pennsylvania, 
December 24, 1841. He grew to man's estate 
and was educated there, but no sooner was he 
ready to start in life for himself than the 
voice of patriotism summoned him to fight 
the battles of the republic. Enlisting in August, 
1861, -as a member of Company H. 102nd 
Pennsvlvania \'olunteers, he served from that 
time until the close of hostilities, participating 
in almost all the battles and campaigns of the 
famous Army of the Potomac, including the 
Wilderness and those preceding the downfall 
of Richmond. He was in the firing line when 
the Confederate capital hung out the white 
flag. In all these battles, he escaped without 
injury, except at Petersburg, where he received 
a bullet wound in the right thigh. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



421 



After being discharged on July 3, 1865, 
Mr. Storey returned to Pennsylvania, where 
for two years he worked in the oil regions. 
He then went to Missouri and followed school 
teaching for a couple of years, then to Mon- 
tana, whence, in 1870, he came to Walla Walla 
county. He taught school here for fifteen 
years, spending fifty-four months in one dis- 
trict in Spring Valley. At length, however, he 
decided to try farming, so took a homestead 
on Pataha prairie, near Pomeroy, where he 
resided for a number of years. He also farmed 
for some time, five miles east of Dixie, but 
finally sold out. 

Mr. Storey was a very active man in former 
years, and has done an incalculable amount for 
the cause of education in this part of the state ; 
indeed, he ranked among the most successful 
educators of the early days. He has been twice 
married. In 1877, in Dayton, Washington, he 
wedded Miss lone White, a native of Oregon, 
who died in 1879, leaving one son, Mark. He 
was again married in 1881, the lady being 
Georgie E. Look, a native of California. They 
have five children. Flora, Carl, Clarence, 
Ralph and Dewey. 



FRANCIS M. CORKRUM, a farmer, a 
pioneer of 1865, was born in Kentucky in 
October, 1834. His father died when he was 
an infant, and his mother moved with him to 
Spring Garden, Illinois, where he grew to 
manhood on a farm with his uncle. When 
twenty years old, he tried farming in Jeffer- 
son county one year, after which he worked 
for wages a while, but soon went onto a place 
for himself again, and the next year bought a 
farm. 

Mr. Corkrum lived on this place for a num- 



ber of years, but finally decided to come west, 
so sold out and started across the plains with 
a team consisting of oxen and cows. He at 
first intended to locate in either Oregon or 
California, but changed his plan and came to 
\\'alla Walla valley. He purchased a squat- 
ter's right to a claim on the Spring branch 
for $20 in greenbacks, then worth about fifty- 
cents on the dollar. He afterwards added to 
this three tracts of forty acres each, and the 
entire farm sold fourteen years later for eleven 
thousand and two hundred dollars. Of course 
much of the increase in value was due to the 
improvements which Mr. Corkrum made, and 
it testifies to his industry and enterprise as 
much as to the development of the country. 

After selling his first home, our subject 
purchased Mr. Kennedy's ranch of five hundred 
and twenty acres, and this he still retains, to- 
gether with one hundred and sixty acres on 
Dry creek, and one hundred and sixty acres of 
timber in the mountains, purchased later. Mr. 
Corkrum also bought a farm for each of his 
three boys. He now resides in a fine home in 
Walla Walla, and owns the house and lot ad- 
joining. Few of the early pioneers of the 
county have had more to do with the develop- 
ment of its industrial resources than has Mr. 
Corkrum and few have shown greater acumen 
in discerning how best to take ailvantage of 
the opportunities offered by the new and fer- 
tile valley. 

About twenty-three years ago, he and his 
wife and two children were conx-erted in the 
school house he had helped to build, and since 
that time he has had the pleasure of seeing 
all of his children, except one, become members 
of the same church to which he belongs, and 
in which he has been an active worker for so 
many years. He has also demonstrated his in- 
terest in the cause of education in a very sub- 



422 



HISTORY OF WALLA ^^■ALLA COUXTV 



stantial way. serving as director and helping to 
organize the (Hstrict in wliich he lived and to 
build and ec|ui[) the tirst rude school building. 
In Spring Garden, Illinois, February ii, 
1857, our subject married Miss Mary Killebrue, 
a native of Jefferson county, Illinois, and to 
their union have been born ten children : 
William J.; Rosalie, wife of ^\'ilIiam York, 
of Walla \\'alla; Nora, wife of Thomas Wil- 
son, a farmer near Dayton ; Uriah, Eva and 
Leo, at home with their parents ; Sarah, after- 
wards Mrs. Jeff Jennings, deceased; David, 
deceased, and two that were taken away by 
death before being named. Mr. and Mrs. 
Corkrum are also the proud possessors of 
twenty-four grandchildren. The couple are 
enjoying excellent health and are line specimens 
of well preserved old age. 



A. S. DICKINSON, postmaster at \\'aits- 
burg, was born in Walla Walla county, in 
1868. He received a thorough education in the 
public schools and in Waitsburg Acadeiuy, 
then took a business course in the Empire 
Business College at Walla \\'alla. In 189.2, 
he embarked in the hardware business at \Vaits- 
burg, and for two years thereafter he followed 
that branch, of commerce, but in 1894 he 
turned his attention to farming. One year was 
spent in tilling the soil and one in a grain ware- 
house. In 1897 he received an appointment 
as ix^tmaster of Waitsburg and he has been 
serving in that capacity ever since. He is also 
interested in mining, being the owner of stock 
in Repulilic and Sumpter camps. For some 
time lie acted as local treasurer of the Equi- 
table Loan & Savings Company, of Portland, 
Oregon, and of the Aetna Loan and Trust Com- 
pany, of Butte. Montana. 



yir. Dickinson has always manifested a 
lively interest in local affairs, and may be fairly 
counted among the progressive forces of the 
town. He served one term as a member of the 
city council. In fraternal affiliations, Mr. 
Dickinson is ^ identified with the Knights 
of Pythias, and the .\.ncient Order of United 
Workmen. He was married in Waitsburg, in 
1896, to Miss Addie E. Denny, a native of the 
state of Washington, who received her early 
education in the public schools here and later 
graduated from the San Jose, California, 
Normal school. She has been teaching in the 
public schools of Waitsburg ever since com- 
pleting her educational disci]iline. 



HARLAN D. ELDRIDGE, a farmer one 
and a half miles southeast of Dixie, a pioneer of 
1880, is a native of Iowa, born April 6, 1858. 
He grew to manhood and was educated there, 
follmving teaching as his profession for some 
time after attaining years of maturity. In 
1880, he came out to Walla Walla county, took 
a homestead near Starbuck, and engaged in 
farming. He resided there for several years, 
but in 1S90 removed to the place upon which 
we now find him. He owns at present over 
fi\-e hundred acres of land and is one of the 
most extensive and successful farmers in the 
vicinity of Dixie. 

Mr. Eldridge is quite active in the aft'airs 
of his community, and takes an intelligent in- 
terest in politics, local, state and national, but 
displays no ambition to become particularly 
prominent in ])olitical circles and has never 
been a candidate for any office. He is an ac- 
tive member of and one of the elders in the 
Christian church of Dixie. In fraternal atifilia- 
tions, he is iilentified with Welcome Lodge, 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



423 



No. 117, L O. O. F., and with the Rebekahs. 
He is very prominent in tlie subordinate Odd 
Fellows' lodge, having passed through all the 
chairs. ■Mr. Eldridge was married in this coun- 
ty, September 14, 1884, to Miss Etta Barnes, 
a native of the county, and they have become 
parents of five children : Whipple, Taylor B., 
Earl, Gene\-a M., and Bonnie G. 



ALFRED F. PERRY, a retired farmer and 
contractor, residing at 525 North Sixth street, 
is a native of St. Benoit, province of Quebec, 
Canada, born on June 7, 1853. He was early 
taken to California, whither his father had 
gone in 1849, becoming so enamoured of the 
countr)- that he could be content nowhere else. 
They lived a short time in San Jose, then moved 
to Oroville, in Butte county, where the father 
engaged in mining. 

When ]\Ir. Perry arrived at the age of seven 
years, he severed his connections with the re- 
mainder of his family, and' accompanied a 
number of miners overland from Los Angeles. 
He passed through the famous Death Valley, 
and had the pleasure of seeing the wonderful 
petrified ship, as it is called, which is a large 
rock the exact shape of a ship, and is supposed 
by some to have been an actual ship at one 
time and to have been sunk in the days 
when the valley was an inland sea. There 
are also other curious remains such as (ap- 
parently) petrified cities and even the form of 
a man with a pen behind his ear, and a bunch 
of papers in his hand. The company of miners 
to which Mr. Perry belonged located in the 
White mountains eighty miles from the present 
Tucson, Arizona, and our young hero learned 
to read and spell as best he could with the news- 
paper and such other literature as might chance 



to reach the camp for te.xt-books and the rude 
miners for instructors. 

Mr. Perry remained in this camp, far from 
the haunts of civilization, for thirteen and a 
half years, locating five mines, one of which, 
the Mariposa, is a well-known gold and silver 
producer at this day. He then returned to his 
old home, recrossing the Death Valley, and ■ 
confirming the observations of his childhood. 
Three days after his arrival at home, he set 
out for San Francisco, and took a contract to 
supply the Pacific Coast Distilling Company 
with potatoes. He was thus employed for five 
years. 

On March 2, 1877, our subject arrived in 
Walla Walla. He purcha;^ed one hundred and 
twenty acres of land three miles below tfnvn, 
where he engaged in diversified farming an<l 
gardening. He has been adding to his original 
home from time to time until he is now the 
owner of se\-en hundred acres in two tracts, 
on which he. at present, raises timotin- and al- 
falfa uKJStl}', his annual crop averaging about 
thirteen hundred tons. Mr. Perry has also been 
a successful contractor for the past fifteen 
years. He built the penitentiary, finishing the 
walls in sixty-nine da_\-s, also graded manv of 
the Walla Walla streets, and did much con- 
tract work on the various railroads running 
into the city. 

Mr. Perry is in every sense of the word a 
self-made man, having started to work out his 
own destiny when seven years old without capi- 
tal or education, and having achieved, in spite 
of ojjstacles wdiich would have overwhelmed 
a less resolute spirit, the high .standing in the 
social and financial world which he now enjoys. 
He is a man of truly remarkalile abilities and 
giant force of character. He was married at 
Lewiston, Idaho, on July 11, 1879, to Miss 
Nettie V. Coffin, a native of Oregon, whose 



424 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



parents came overland from ^lassachusetts to 
that state in 1855. Air. ami Mrs. Perry have 
had two children, Fred D., deceased, and Will- 
iam C, a stntlent in Whitman College. On 
February 5. 1901, Mr. Perry had the misfor- 
tune to lose iiis wife, who IkuI been ill for over 
sixteen months previous to her demise. Her 
remains lie buried in the Walla \\"alla ceme- 
tery beside those of her son. 



EDWJX W. IMcCANN. lately dealer in 
hardware and implements, at Waitsburg, is a 
native of Dodge county, W'isconsin, born in 
1S47. When he was ciuite young, his family 
nidved to a dilYerent part of the state, to Omro, 
and here ]\Ir. jNIcCann resided until fourteen 
years old. In 1862, he moved to Filmore 
county, Minnesota, where he completed his 
]nil)lic school education. He then engaged in 
farming. In 1869. he moved to Chippewa 
county, took a homestead, and' engaged in 
farming there. In 1878, he entered the employ 
of L. K. Stone as a wheat-buyer and elevator 
man and this was his occupation until April, 
1887, when he sold out his holdings and came 
to Waitsburg, Washington. 

Shortly after his arrival here, he formetl 
a partnership with ]Mr. Macomber, for the pur- 
pose of starting a hardware and implement 
store and to that business his energies have 
been given ever since nutil quite recently, but 
he lately sold out. He is an excellent business 
man, being possessed of the shrewdness' fore- 
sight and unerring judgment characteristic of 
the truly successful in commercial life. He is 
also a public-spirited man, ever ready to do 
what lies in his power for the social and ma- 
terial amelioration of the neighborhood in 
which he lives. In 1889, he was elected a 



school director, and has served as such ever 
since except for a period of two years. In 
1897, he was elected to the mayoralty of Waits- 
burg. His re-election followed in 1898, and 
in 1899 he declined renomination. 

In politics Mr. McCann was a Democrat 
until 1896, when his gold standard principles 
compelled him to support McKinley, and he 
has since belonged to the Republican party. 
In fraternal affiliations he is a Mason, a Knight 
of Pythias and a Workman. He was married 
at Montevideo, Minnesota, in 1879, to Mary 
G. Anderson, a nati\'e of ^Minnesota, and to 
their union have been born two children, Elma 
L. and Josephine. 



GEORGE DELANY, farmer, 422 Rose 
street, Walla Walla, was born in East Tennes- 
see in 1 83 1. When eight years old he removed 
with his parents to southwestern Missouri, 
whence seven years later he set out on the jour- 
ney across the continent to Oregon, traveling 
by team. He resided in the Willamette valley, 
that state, engaged in farming until 1858, then 
came to W^alla Walla and turned his attention 
to freighting and handling stock. His teams 
conveyed supplies into Montana and Idaho, 
ami he drove cattle into British Columbia. In 
1880 he again became a tiller of the soil, this 
time on an extensive scale, for he rented five 
thousand acres of land and purchased twenty- 
three hundred, the latter tract being just over 
the Oregon line from Walla Walla. He is 
still farming and stock raising in Yakima and 
Columbia counties. 

Mr. Delany has made his way in the world 
under dilificulties, having been denied all the 
school prixileges ordinarily enjoyetl by Amer- 
ican bovs. for he has ne\'er been within the 




GEORGE DELANY 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



425 



walls of a schoolhouse in session time. He has, 
however, by his own efforts largely overcome 
these early disadvantages, and his industry, 
good judgment and splendid 'business ability 
have enabled him to attain a success in life 
which may well be the envy of many who have 
been much more unfortunate in their early en- 
vironment. He was married in Marion coun- 
ty, Oregon, in 1870, to Olive Day, a native 
of Illinois, but an early pioneer of the west. 
They have si.x children, namely, Sarah, Roxie, 
Henry, Burton, George and Harvey H. 



JOHN B. McDonald, deceased, a pio- 
neer of 1882, was born in Green Lake county, 
Wisconsin, January 2, 1845. He was the first 
white child born in that county. His father 
was an officer in the United States army, and 
in 1830 had been sent into Wisconsin to keep 
the Indians quiet. Mr. McDonald resided in 
the neighborhood in which he was born until 
nineteen years old, receiving a public school 
education, then started to do for himself. He 
visited New York state and Vermont, and 
finally entered the service of the United States 
government, his duty being to take horses to 
the front for the use of the army. He was 
present in Washington at the time of Lincoln's 
assassination, and was detailed for a short time 
to guard tlie city limits in order, if possible, to 
prevent the escape of the assassin. 

A little later Mr. McDonald went to Bal- 
timore, where he was taken sick with fever and 
ague, and practically laid up for two years, but 
at intervals he was able to do a little at the 
business he then followed, namely, putting in 
lightning rods for the protection of buildings. 
In 1867, he returned to his old home in Wis- 
consin and farmed a year, afterwards going to 



Blue Earth county, Minnesota. He followed 
farming there one summer and in the fall pur- 
chased a threshing machine and engaged in that 
industry. A serious accident befell him, how- 
ever. His foot was caught in the cogs of the 
power, laying him up for two years completely 
and making him permanently lame. In 1871 
he bought railroad land, and for a while fol- 
lowed farming and teaming, but eventually 
sold out and engaged in selling farm imple- 
ments, wagons, etc., for an eastern firm. Two 
years later, he was called home to take charge 
of his father's farm, and he was engaged in 
agricultural pursuits there and at Fond du 
Lac for the next four years, but in 1878 he 
removed to Petaluma, California. 

After farming there also for a number of 
months Mr. McDonald started via Portland, 
for this valley, but, owing to the Indian out- 
break, wintered on the Lewis river, where the 
next spring he engaged in the dairy business. 
Shortly afterwards, he moved to a place thirty 
miles from The Dalles, and here Mr. McDonald 
worked in a sawmill until 1882. He then 
tried farming again, but lost everything by 
grasshoppers. 

In the fall of 1882 he reached \\'alla Walla, 
the point he had started for so many years 
before, and the next spring he took a home- 
stead on Eureka flat. He was a farmer in that 
neighborhood until 1891, when he moved into 
the city of Walla Walla for the benefit of his 
children. He died on March 27, 1893. 

Mr. McDonald was for many years one of 
the leading men in his part of the county serv- 
ing in almost all the local offices and once re- 
fusing the nomination for county commis- 
sioner. He was married in I'ond du Lac, Wis- 
consin, February 27, 1873, to Miss Eliza L. 
Sharratt, a native of Wisconsin, who assisted 
her husband by teaching and in every way in 



426 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



her power to acquire the competency tliey en- 
joyed before his tleatli. She is now the owner 
of one thousand one hundreil and twenty acres 
of land in the county. 

ilr. and Mrs. McDonald became parents of 
five children: John H.. an attorney in Walla 
Walla, who has the honor of having served in 
the Philippine war as a member of the First 
Washingtons ; Elsie M.. now Mrs. Edward H. 
Bradbury; Jessie E., a student in the \\'ashing- 
ton Agricultural College, at Pullman : and Lila 
G.. a student in the public schools, also Will- 
iam P.. who died at the age of eighteen. The 
family afiiliate with the First Presbyterian 
church of Walla Walla, and Mrs. McDonald 
also belongs to the Woody Glen Circle. \\'omen 
of Woodcraft, and to the Order of Wash- 
ington. 



MARTIN MEINERS, one of the prosper- 
ous and well-to-do farmers of the county, re- 
siding ten miles east of \\'alla Walla, was born 
in Germany. March 6, 1847. Like most Ger- 
man vouth. he enjoyed the privileges of the 
public school until fourteen years old. In 1S64, 
he, with his father and the remainder of the 
famih", except his mother, who had died some 
years before, came to America. They located in 
Illinois, where Mr. Meiners !i\-e(l until 18S3. In 
that year, however, he came out to Walla Walla 
county, invested the savings of the nineteen 
years he had passed in Illinois in a section of 
land, and engaged in farming. He has followed 
the same occupation on the same place contin- 
uously since, and now has a pleasant home 
and surroundings. 

Mr. Meiners is a thrifty, industrious farm- 
er, possessed of those neighborly qualities 
which render a man esteemed and respected in 
the community in which he lives. He is not 



especially active in politics, though he takes a 
lively and intelligent interest in local affairs. 
He was married in Illinois in 1874, to Miss 
Ettje Beenders, a native of Germany, and 
they have a famih' of four children, Cornelius 
M., John E., Grace W.. and Elsina M. 



ANDREW J. TASH, a farmer residing 
ten miles east of Walla Walla, a pioneer of 
1 86 1, was born in the state of Indiana, Jan- 
uary. 15, 1839. He resided there until nine 
years old, then accompanied his parents to ^lis- 
siiuri. in which state the ensuing five years 
were passed. During the next six years, he 
was a resident of Iowa and there he com- 
pleted his education. 

About that time the emigration to the west 
was at its height, and the prospects of realiz- 
ing a fortune in a day were becoming very at- 
tractive to the adventurous mind of the youth- 
ful Mr. Tash, so. in 1859. he joined the rush for 
California. He made the long journey with 
ox-teams, and in due season reached the iirmn- 
ised land. He remained in California two 
years, but, failing to find conditions as he had 
hoped, he came to Walla Walla county in 1861. 
For the next half decade, he was operating in 
the various mining regions of Idaho, among 
them. Oro Fino. l)ut in 1866 he took a home- 
stead where we now find him and settled down 
to the life of a farmer and stock 'raiser. He 
is. at present, the owner of three hundred and 
twenty acres of fine land, well improved, and 
everywhere bearing eloquent testimony to the 
thrift and industry of its owner. 

Mr. Tash was married in Walla \\'alla 
county, on September 16, 1866, to Miss [Mary 
E. Brooks, a native of Missouri, who died April 
30, 1874, leaving one child, Frank E. On 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



427: 



September 16. 1876, he was again married, 
the lady being Lucy M. Klemgaard, a native of 
Utah. Of tliis union, seven cliildren have 
lieen born: Ilarrv A., Hattie E., Ehner E., 
Neoma D., Gertrude, Raymond and Chfford 
Watson. 



HARRY GILKERSON, a farmer resid- 
ing about seven miles east of Walla Walla, 
was born in this county in 1866. He received 
such education as was to be had in the public 
schools of the neighborhood, then went to the 
Big Bend country, where for four years he 
was engaged in farming. At the end of that 
period, he came to the section in which we now 
find him, and purchased one hundred and thirty 
acres. of land, twenty acres of which are now 
under cultivation, the remainder being grazing 
and timber land. He has a fine home nicely lo- 
cated and supplied with all the improvements 
necessary for comfort. For the last six years, 
he has been agent at tlie Dudley warehouse 
for the Pacific Coast Elevator Company, hand- 
Hng about seventy thousand sacks of grain per 
annum. He is a young man of energy, pro- 
gressiveness and force, and possesses moral 
good qualities wliicli win fijr him the respect 
and confidence of the community in wliich he 
lives. He belongs to the local camp, Modern 
Woodmen of America. In Februar\-, 1890, in 
Walla \\'alla county, he married Malina J. 
Rohn, and they have had three children, two of 
whom are now living, Freddie and Jessie May. 
The deceased child was named Harry Lewis. 



ALATTHLAS A. CARIS, contractor, a 
pioneer of 1864, was born in Portage county, 
Ohio, January 8, 1834. He resided with his 



father on a farm there until seventeen years. 
of age, receiving a public school education, 
then engaged in jjrick making with a brotlier, 
and this was his business for the next fi\'e 
years. In 1855 he went to Illinois, and nine 
months later he removed thence to Mount 
Pleasant, Iowa, where for four years he fol- 
lowed the lightning-rod business. He then 
crossed tlie plains with o.x-teams, his objective 
point being Boise City, Idaho, but three weeks 
after his arrival he started north to the Walla 
Walla valley. 

The first season after coming here Mr. Caris 
farmed a rented place on the Touchet river, then, 
joining the rush, he went to the Coeur d'Alenes 
and opened a provision store in the mount- 
ains among the Indians, twenty-five miles 
from any other white settler. For four years 
thereafter he spent his summers in the Cceur 
d'Alenes and his winters on the Touchet river, 
where he collected his supplies. Visiting his 
old home in the east in 1869, he passed the 
winter there, and in the spring l)r(jught a car- 
load of wagons to Boise City and disposed of 
them there. He ordered another car shipped 
to Walla Walla, and as soon as they arrived 
opened an agricultural imi)leiuent and wagon 
establishment here, the first of its kind in the 
city. 

After remaining in this business twelve 
years he sold out and began farming on a 
ten-hundred-and-sixty-acre ranch, which he 
liad secured by using his pre-emiitiun and tim- 
ber-culture rights and by purchase. For ten 
years he was one of the leading farmers of 
the county, but in 1890 he moved back into 
the city and engaged in his present business, 
teaming and contracting. 

.Mr. Caris is a very energetic, i)rogressive 
man, possessed of a degree of executive ability 
which has enabled him to achieve e-xcellent 



428 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



success in the various lines of activity in which 
he lias been engaged. He was married first in 
Mount Pleasant, Iowa, March ii, i860, to 
I\Iiss Rachael Johnson, who died in Walla 
\\'alla July 30, 1869, leaving one son, Charles 
F., in business with his father. He was again 
married at Athena, Oregon, on May 16, 1880. 
the lady being Miss Maria M. Blum, a native 
of Pennsylvania, but reared and educated in 
\\'isconsin. She has been a resident of this 
valley most of the time since 1876. Mr. and 
Mrs. Caris are both members of the First 
Congregational church of Walla Walla, which 
they joined in 1895. 



ROBERT M. GRIFFITH, a farmer re- 
siding twelve miles east of Walla Walla, a 
pioneer of September, i860, was born on the 
island of Barbadoes January 6, 1832. He came 
to the United States in 1841, landing at Phila- 
delphia, and before long embarked on a vessel 
and went to sea. Young though he was, he 
stuck to that rigorous occupation four years, 
but, disembarking in Massachusetts in 1845, 
he accepted a position as overseer of a cotton 
mill. He was employed thus for thirteen 
years, then as a napper of cotton flannels in 
a mill in Xew York for four years. Influenced 
by a desire for the wild, free life of the west, 
he then came out to Minnesota and Dakota, 
and thence in course of time made his way 
to the mining regions of Idaho. 

In i860 he came to Walla Walla county, 
•whence for several years he freighted into the 
various mining regions, Oro Fino. Florence, 
the Xez Perce country and other places. He 
took an active part in repressing the various 
Indian uprisings of this period. Subsequently 
he engaged in farming, an occupation to which 



his best energies have been given ever since. 
For the past nine years he has resided on his 
present place, where he has established a com- 
fortable home for himself and his family. 
Mr. Griffith has always taken the interest that 
every good citizen should in the affairs of 
county, state and na^;ion, and though he has 
never held or coveted any office, he is recog- 
nized as one of the representative men in 
politics. He was married in Walla Walla 
county in 1882, to ^liss Annie Sorrenson, a 
native of San Pete county, Utah, and now 
has a familj- of two children, Catherine A. 
and Robert \\'. 

While in Utah Mr. Griffith experienced 
some trying ad\entures, being at one time 
fired upon by Mormons, and once robbed by 
Indians in the neighborhood of Burnt river, 
losing thirteen hundred dollars' worth of 
property. The family belong to the Method- 
ist church. 



JOHN BUSH, a retired farmer and stock 
raiser of Eureka, is a native of Germany, 
born January 29, 1832. He remained in the 
land of his nativity until twenty years old, 
receiving the customary education, but in 
1852 he emigrated to Xew York. After a 
residence of only a few months he removed 
to Chicago, Illinois, and enlisted in the regu- 
lar army. He was sent to Xewport Barracks 
in Kansas, thence to Fort Worth, Texas, 
where he remained a year, being thereupon sent 
to the Rio Grande to protect a gang of sur- 
veyors who were locating artesian wells in Xew 
Mexico, Eighteen months were thus passed, 
then he spent a brief period of time in San 
Antonio, Texas, from which city he w-as sent 
to Fort Meyers, Florida, to assist in settling 
the Indian difficulties there. He was next or- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



429 



dered to Salt Lake, where he resided until 
1857, Avhen he was honorably discharged. 
However, he served during the next seven 
months as a volunteer in the United States 
army in the Mormon war, then hired to a 
quartermaster as a teamster, coming with him 
to Fort Walla in 1859. 

In 186 1 Mr. Bush retired from the army 
entirely, took up land and engaged in farm- 
ing and stock raising. For a number of years 
thereafter he was one of the thrifty and sub- 
stantial farmers of the county, but of late 
years he has retired from active participation 
in any business, and is enjoying a well-earned 
rest. He was married in August, 1872, to 
!Miss Lena Myer, a native of Germany, who 
came to this country after she had grown to 
womanhood. They have one daughter, ^Vnna, 
born in August, 1873. 



GEORGE F. LEWIS, one of the thrifty, 
enterprising farmers of the vicinity of Dixie, 
a pioneer of 1862, was born in Iowa Novem- 
ber II, 1842. He grew to man's estate there, 
receiving good educational advantages, and 
when twenty years old started across the plains 
with ox-teams, determined to try his fortunes 
in the west. He in due time came to a halt in 
Walla Walla county, secured an outfit, and en- 
gaged in the business of hauling freight to 
the different mining regions in Idaho. In this 
sturdy occupation ten full years were spent, 
Init in 1870 he located his present place and 
settled down to the life of a ranchman. He 
has one hundred acres of excellent land, well 
improved and furnished with all buildings and 
machinery necessary to a well-ecpu'pped little 
farm. He raises stock principally, but is a 
diversified farmer, and does not entirely neg- 



lect anything which can be produced at a 
profit in this section of the county. 

Mr. Lewis married at Oakland, Oregon, 
in 1872, Miss Efifie Williams, a native of that 
state, who was taken from him by death a 
few years ago. By this marriage he has had 
two children, David W., deceased, and Dollie 
F., wife of Samuel Ad well, of Dixie. In 1898 
Mr. Lewis again married, the lady being J^Iina 
Jackson, a native of Iowa. 



CHARLES GILKERSON, a farmer re- 
siding seven miles east of Walla Walla, is a 
native of this county, born in 1864. He re- 
ceived a public-school education, and, having 
been raised on a farm, naturally turned to 
that occupation when he went into business 
for himself. He spent about four and a half 
years in Whitman county, engaged in tilling 
the soil, then returned tu his home county and 
purchased a two-hundred-and-forty-acre farm, 
all wheat land, on which he has ever since re- 
sided. He is an enterprising man, and ranks 
among the prosperous and well-to-do farmers 
of his part of the county. He was married 
in Walla Walla county in 1898, to Miss Cath- 
erine Tracy, a member of one of the oldest 
pioneer families of the Inland Empire. Her 
father was an Indian war veteran of note. 
Mr. and Mrs. Gilkerson are parents of one 
son, Eddie. 



THOMAS GILKERSON, a farmer re^ 
siding on Mill creek, six miles east of Walla 
Walla, was born in England October 19, 1837. 
When a boy of four he was brought by his 
parents to New York state. His father located 
in Homer, and in that town Mr. Gilkerson 



43° 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



passed his early youtli and actiirred liis edu- 
cation. In 1859, influenced by a commenda- 
ble desire for larger and better opportunities 
than were to be had in his home town, he 
started, via Panama, to the coast. Landing 
in British Columbia, lie spent a brief period 
of time tiiere, but, failing to find anything 
to his liking, he soon came to \\'a!la \\'alla 
county. 

During the first two years of his stay here 
]\Ir. Gilkerson worked as a farm hand for his 
wife's first husband, and, by industry and fru- 
gality, managed to acctimulate enough to pur- 
chase a quarter section, and to start, in a small 
way. in farming un his own account. Indus- 
trious and frugal, he was also, as his venture 
in farming soon proved, a careful and con- 
servative, yet progressive, man, and he con- 
tinued to prosper and to increase in wealth 
until he became one of the comfortable and 
well-to-do farmers of the county. He now has 
four hundred acres of land and is raising 
grain and stock. 

L'nlike many farmers in this countv. 'Sir. 
Gilkerson is a believer in diversified farming, 
so he keeps and raises cattle, hogs, horses, sheep 
and other live stock, not, however, neglecting 
wheat, barley, fruits and other farm products. 
In this way he always has something for sale 
in every season of the year. He has always 
taken an active, intelligent interest in the af- 
fairs of county, state and nation, though he 
has never manifested any ambition for per- 
.sonal preferment, and has never held an oftice. 
His party atfiliation is with the Democrats. 

In this county, in 1863, our subject mar- 
ried Mrs. Eliza McWhirk, ncc Sickley, a na- 
tive of Pennsylvania, and a pioneer of 1859. 
Her first husband died in 1862. leaving one 
son, George H. She and Mr. Gilkerson have 
four children living, Charles, Harrv, Thomas 



and Lewis. By her marriage with Mr. Mc- 
Whirk, in 1860, Mrs. Gilkerson gained the 
distinction of being the first white lady mar- 
ried in Walla Walla county. The solemniza- 
tion was by Judge Kennedy, who gave her 
a black silk dress in recognition of her being 
the first to take upon herself matrimonial 
bonds within the limits of the county. It is 
wt)rthv of mention, as illustrating the condi- 
tions obtaining at that time, that Judge Ken- 
ned}- had to send to The Dalles, Oregon, for 
the dress, there being nothing of so expensive 
a nature in Walla Walla or any town nearer 
at that early period. 



MOSES S\\'.VIM. one of the leading 
farmers of the county, is a native of Indiana, 
born September 15, 1840. When nine years 
old he accompanied his parents to Illinois, 
and there he grew to manhood and received 
his education. He enlisted for service in the 
Civil war in the fall of 1861, and was a mem- 
ber of Company I, Eleventh Illinois Cavalry, 
until after the close of hostilities. He was 
honorably discharged at Ouincy, Illinois, in 
1866, after a military career of which he and 
his family have just rea.son to lie proud. 

Our subject then located at Fort Scott, 
Kansas, where, during the ensuing seven years, 
he followed fanning as a business. In 1873, 
however, he removed thence to Missouri, 
where he farmed for seven years more, after 
which he passed six years in the same business 
in South Dakota. In 1886 he set out for the 
west, but did not reach Washington till the 
spring of 1887, having stopped for the win- 
ter at Rollins, \\'yoming. He finally located 
in the \icinit\- uf Walla Walla, where he rent- 
ed land and farmed until 1893. I" that year, 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



431 



however, lie, in company with the Bass Bros., 
purchased a tract of land on the Touchet river, 
and they have ever since resided there, en- 
gaged in stock raising and general farming. 
They are thrifty, industrious, energetic men, 
possessed of the good judgment and force 
characteristic of those who are really success- 
ful in any calling. 

On July 25, 1875. Mr. Swaim was mar- 
ried to Mrs. Sarah A. Bass, by whom he has 
two children, Mary A., born August 2, 1876, 
and Leona M., born January 22, 1884. Mrs. 
Swaim also has two sons by her former mar- 
riage, Frank L., born January 20, 1871, and 
John L., born August 25, 1873. They are in 
partnership with Mr. Swaim in the farming 
and stock-raising business. Their father, Mr. 
John F. Bass, died in Vernon county, Mis- 
souri, February 11, 1873. 



GEORGE R. CROWE, a retired house 
painter residing at 433 North Fifth street, 
Walla Walla, a pioneer of March, 1862, was 
born in London, England, April 27, 1836. 
He attended the public schools of his father- 
land until fourteen years old, then went to 
sea as an apprentice aboard the sailing bark 
"Harold," engaged in the East India trade. 
For five years thereafter he sailed continu- 
ously, visiting South Africa, Australia and all 
far eastern ports. He spent two years in South 
Africa, engaged as a shore whaler, his busi- 
ness being to take the whales when, at certain 
seasons, they came tu the nmuths of the ri\-ers 
to calve. He also passed two years in Aus- 
tralia in the gold diggings of Ballaratt and 
Bendigo, and while there was often attacked 
liv white bushrangers under the famous bush- 



ranger chief "Black Pete." Fortunately, how- 
ever, he escaped without a wound. 

Mr. Crowe came thence to California, ar- 
riving at San Francisco in March, 1859, and 
went direct to Nevada City. He was engaged 
there and at Grass Valley and Forest City in 
the business of placer mining about two and a 
half years, then returned to San Francisco, 
and about three months later we find him en- 
listing as a member of Company A, First 
Washington Territorial Volunteers, for serv- 
ice under Captain Taylor and Colonel Stein- 
berger, in guarding the British frontier dur- 
ing the Civil war. He continued to perform 
this duty for three years, participating in sev- 
eral skirmishes. 

After being discharged at Walla Walla, 
in 1865, Mr. Crowe opened a house painting 
shop on the corner of First and Alder streets, 
where he did business continuously until 1896, 
in which year he sold out and retired. Mr. 
Crowe has always proven a good neighbor 
and citizen, an industrious, thrifty man and 
a highly estimable member of society. He en- 
joys an enviable standing in the community 
in which he has lived so long. He is quite 
prominent in the A. Lincoln Post, No. 4, G. 
A. R., to which he has belonged for the past 
fifteen years, and of which he has been senior 
vicfe commander. 

In Walla Walla, on April 19, 1875, Mr. 
Crowe married Miss Elizabeth Cah'ert, a na- 
tive of Illinois, and a pioneer of 1864. She 
is a leading member of the W. R. C, which 
has bestowed upon her all the honors in its 
gift, and she also belongs to Lodge No. 48, 
L. O. T. ]\I., of which she is a charter mem- 
ber and lady commander. Her father is a 
farmer on Mill creek, where she was educated 
and where she lived until the time of her mar- 
riage. Mr. and ^Irs. Crowe are parents of 



43^ 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



three children hving: John E., a clerk; Harry 
B. and Lizzie A.; also of one, George R., who 
died at the age of three years and seven 
months. 



THO^L-\S J. FERREL. a farmer resid- 
ing about nine miles east of Walla Walla, is 
a native of Wayne county, Iowa, born in 1862. 
When he was but two years old his family 
started across the plains with mule-teams to 
Walla Walla county, so that he has been prac- 
tically reared in the west. The family located 
on Russel creek, and there Mr. Ferrel grew 
to man's estate and was educated. He early 
engaged in farming for himself, and has fol- 
lowed that industry continuously for many 
years. At present he is the owner of a splen- 
did little farm of ninety acres, and is raising 
wheat and horses. He is a progressive, enter- 
prising man, and enjoys the confidence and 
good will of all his neighbors. He was mar- 
ried in this county, in 1884, to Miss Percilla 
Edward, and they are parents of three chil- 
dren, Xettie P., Carrie E. and Elphe B. 



WILLIAM L. AIATHEW, a stock raiser 
near Clyde, is a native of Indiana, born Janu- 
ary 4, 1832. \\'hen thirteen years old he came 
wdth his parents to Iowa, where for many 
years afterwards his father, James D., fol- 
lowed farming as an occupation. Upon at- 
taining his majority Mr. Mathew set out 
across the plains to Walla ^\'alla. He pur- 
chased a number of horses and engaged in 
raising that species of stock, a business which 
he has ever since followed. He takes great 
pride in the production of high grade road- 
sters and draft horses, and has a large num- 



ber of fine animals, w itli which any connoisseur 
of thoroughbred horses would be delighted. 
To him belongs the honor of having been the 
first to engage in fruit raising in the Snake 
river country, thereby introducing an industry 
which has proved a great blessing to the entire 
Inland Empire. At present he is the owner 
of two hundred and ten acres of fine land on 
the Snake river. 

During the early days of Walla Walla Mr. 
Mathew, like other raisers and dealers in 
horses, was greatly harrassed and suft'ered 
frequent loss by a gang of horse-thieves which 
scoured the country in the pursuit of their 
nefarious vocation. At length, when patience 
ceased to be a virtue, a committee was organ- 
ized, of which Air. Mathew was a leader, and 
which soon proved successful in driving out 
the obnoxious intruders. At one time thirty 
renegades were driven into Montana, where 
they afterwards suffered death at the hands 
of a vigilance committee. 



NELSON CASTLEMAN was born in 
Canada December 21, 1849. Both of his par- 
ents died within a few years after his birth, 
and he was taken into the home of an uncle, 
hut the cruel treatment he received drove him 
away when ten years old. He came to the 
United States and located at Alassena Springs, 
in New York, where he made his home with 
various families as he could find opportunity 
to work for his board and schooling. He fol- 
lowed this life for seven years, but in 1866 
went to Lowell, Massachusetts. He worked in 
the cotton mills there, also, by special effort, 
learned the painter's trade. He remained in 
the mills for several years and by close applica- 
tion to business secured promotion after pro- 




NELSON CASTLEMAN 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



433 



ni(jtion until he held the second highest posi- 
tion in the mill. 

In 1870 l\Ir. Castleman moved tii Denver, 
Colorado, and a few days later found em- 
ployment as a quarryman at Golden, twenty- 
eight miles from Denver. Here he remained 
a year and a half, after which he returned to 
Lowell, passing through Chicago a short time 
after the big fire. He again took employ- 
ment in the mills, working in them during 
winter and following painting and paperhang- 
ing in summer. In April, 1877, '''^ came west 
again, landing in San Francisco. A few days 
later he started north to Oregon and located in 
Portland, where he worked at his trade until 
August of the same year, when he came to 
Walla Walla. He has been engaged ever since 
in painting and paperhanging. 

In March, 1898, Mr. Castleman was seized 
with the Klondike fever and made the then 
dangerous journey to Dawson City, where he 
remained for eleven months. When he came 
out in the spring of 1899 '^^ walked all the 
way from Dawson to Skagway over the ice on 
the Yukon river, a distance of six hundred 
miles, making the journey in thirty-three days, 
but actually traveling only thirty, as they 
stopped three days to rest. One day when the 
thermometer registered sixty-five degrees lielow 
zero his party traveled thirty miles. 

Mr. Castleman is an Odd Fellow of thirty 
years standing. At present he is identified with 
Enterprise Lodge, No. 2, of Walla Walla. He 
belongs also to the city volunteer fire depart- 
ment, and has done so constantly since its or- 
ganization, being a charter member of Vigi- 
lance Hook and Ladder Company. He has 
some real estate interests in Seattle and three 
houses and lots on West Chestnut street, Walla 
W'alla, in one of which he himself resides. 

28 



HENRY KUHL, a farmer nine miles east 
of Walla \\'alla, was born in Germany in 1854. 
He was, however, practically reared in this 
country, having come to America with his par- 
ents when seven years old. His first home 
in the United States was in Indiana, thirty- 
miles east of Chicago, and there he resided 
for twenty-eight years, engaged, after he be- 
came old enough, in farming. He also ope- 
rated for three years the first creamery ever 
erected in Indiana, and for some time was 
landlord of a hotel. Coming west in 1889, 
he became a farmer on the Hudson Bay farm, 
nine miles east of Spokane, where he resided 
for three years. He then moved to Walla 
Walla county, bought land near his present 
home and engaged in wheat raising. At pres- 
ent he is the owner of a very fine farm, on 
which he produces wheat, barley, oats and 
corn. He also handles considerable stock. 

Mr. Kuhl is one of the best farmers in the 
county, and the evidences of his industry and 
thrift are everywhere to be seen on his prem- 
ises. His farm is highly cultivated and is 
improved with good buildings, fences, etc. 
He was married in this county in 1896, to 
Nancy, daughter of Henry Smith, one of the 
early pioneers of the state of Oregon. They 
have three children, Mabel, Jessie and Ber- 
ner T. 



CHARLES F. CUMMINGS, postmaster 
and merchant at Wallula, a pioneer of 1862, 
was born in Kansas September 5, 1861. He 
was, however, reared and educated in this 
ciiunty, his parents having brought him across 
the plains when he was only one year old. 
Upon attaining years of maturity, he engaged 
in the livery business at Wallula. He was 



434 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



in tliat line for a number of years, then tried 
farming a while, but finally entered the em- 
ploy of the W. & C. R. R. R. Company as 
stationar)^ engineer in their shops. L'pon re- 
hiring from that he embarked in the mercan- 
iile business, and to this his energies have been 
given ever since, his location being Wallula. 
He is the proprietor of a fully equipped and 
nicely arranged establishment, and commands 
a good tratle. He also has a fruit farm in the 
vicinity. 

Li 1898 Mr. Cummings was appointed 
postmaster, and he has since been performing 
his duties as such to the entire satisfaction of 
all the patrons of the office. He was married 
in the Puget Sound country, March 13, 1887, 
to Miss ilary J. Lindley, a native of Iowa. 
They have a family of five children, Leon E., 
W^nlter F., Flora E., Ula M. and Richard F. 

Mr. Cummings' father, Gideon, a farmer 
three miles east of Wallula, a pioneer of 1862, 
was born in Indiana June 12, 1839. When 
two years of age he was taken by his parents 
to \\"isconsin, and he resided in that state and 
Iowa and Linn county, Kansas, successively, 
for different periods of time until 1862, when 
he crossed the plains to W'alla Walla. Having 
purchased an interest in the missionary f-arm 
^f Rev. H. H. Spalding, he resided thereon 
until 1865. when he went to the \\'alla Walla 
river and engaged in the business of keeping 
■stage station. For a while, also, he was him- 
self the proprietor of a stage line to Lewis- 
ton, but in the early days he opened a mer- 
cantile establishment at ^^'allula, in company 
with his brother Amos. They conducted this 
business successfully for a full decade. Mr. 
■Cummings was also engaged for a number 
•■of years in the liusiness of buying, selling and 
storing wheat, one season handling four thou- 
sand tons, all raised in L^matilla countv, Ore- 



gon. He was the first to attempt to farm 
the hills south of Wallula, and for many years 
has followed that occupation there with good 
success. He is the owner of about two hun- 
dred and sixty acres of land, on which he 
raises a little of everything, though hay is his 
principal crop. 

In the state of Kansas, on January i, 1861, 
he married Miss Lucy A. A\'hetstone, a na- 
tive of Illinois, and they have five children: 
Charles F. ; I\I. Elizabeth, now wife of George 
J. McAvoy, an engineer on the O. R. & X. ; 
Amos G., a farmer; Rose E., wile of Mar- 
shall R. Hill, engineer on the W. & C. R. 
Railway;- M. Catherine, wife of D. E. Smith, 
a fireman on the N. P. R. R., residing at 
Genesee, Idaho. 

]\Ir. Cummings has long been one of the 
leading men of the county, and he is well 
known and very highly esteemed by all the 
older and many of the newer residents of 
this section. His life has been successful finan- 
cially, as well as in other ways, and in addi- 
tion to his farm he has some valuable prop- 
erty in Wallula, Walla Walla and Seattle. 



JOSEPH W. FERREL. a farmer resid- 
ing about ten miles east of Walla ^\'alla, was 
born in this county in 1872. He acquired his 
education in the public schools and in \Miit- 
man College, then went onto his father's farm, 
where he remained until last year. He then 
bought a farm of his own. Heretofore he has 
given most of his attention to cattle raising, 
but he is now going into the production of 
wheat more particularly. He is a thrifty, en- 
terprising, industrious young man, and prom- 
ises to become one of the leading farmers of 
\^'alla W'alla county. He was married in 1897 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



435 



to Jkliss Belle De Baun, a native of Walla 
Walla county, and a member of a family which 
crossed the plains with ox-teams in 185 1. 
They have had one daughter, Bernice C, now 
deceased. 



AUSTIN LYNN CAUVEL, who resides 
at 806 Alder street. \\'alla ^^'alla, is one of 
the early settlers of this city, having lived here 
since January i, 1880. He was born near 
Oil City, Venango county, Pennsylvania, Sep- 
tember I, 1852, antl there received his educa- 
tion and grew to manhood. In December, 
1873, he removed to Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, 
where he served an apprenticeship of two 
years, learning the trade of a carriage painter. 
Returning then to his old home he main- 
tained a shop on his father's farm, at the 
same time giving some attention to agricul- 
tural pursuits, but in 1879 he started for this 
\-alley, coming west over the Union Pacific 
and Central Pacific to San Francisco, thence 
by steamer to Portland, and thence by water 
and team to Walla Walla. Though the dis- 
tance from The Dalles to this city is only one 
hundred and ninety miles, it took them six 
days to make the journey, owing to tlie almost 
impassable condition of the roads and the 
scarcity of water. At one place a man who 
owned a well charged them twenty-five cents 
per head for the i)ri\-i!ege of watering their 
horses. 

On his arrival in Walla Walla Mr. Cauvel 
went to work for his brother and Mr. Gardner 
in the old Ritz nur.-ery, where he remained 
six months. He then went into the service 
of William Kent, who owned a carriage shop 
in Walla Walla, remaining with him also six 
months; then, after working two months as 
an employe of Mr. Baxter, another carriage 



painter, he purchased the latter's shop and 
started in business on his own account. A 
year later he sold out and removed to Pendle- 
ton, where he, with Messrs. M. B. Johnson 
and J. A. Ross, purchased eighty acres of 
rich land and started a nursery. The business 
did not, however, agree with his health, so he 
sold out within eight months and returned to 
AV'alla Walla, where he found employment as 
a hack driver for Small & Miller, with whom 
he remained about three years. He then vis- 
ited his relatives in Pennsylvania, and upon his 
return to Walla Walla bought a shop on East 
Main street and resumed work at his trade. 
He continued in this uninterruptedly for four- 
teen years, afterward selling out. Our sub- 
ject and Charles Kurdey afterwards bought 
the property, but the former removed the shop 
to 503 South Second street, where he still 
maintains a carriage painting establishment. 

Shortly after his arrival here Mr. Cauvel 
took a timber culture of one hundred and sixty 
acres about nine miles northwest of the pres- 
ent Ritzville, retaining the same until Janu- 
ary, 1900, when he sold it for two thousand 
dollars. In 1888 he purchased a fifteen-acre 
tract about seven miles south of Walla W^alla, 
on which he planted a choice selection of fruit 
trees, and for which, in 1899, he received 
eleven hundred dollars. 

Mr. Cauvel is identified with the Ancient 
Order of Foresters, Court Walla Walla, No. 
81 14, and was elected to represent that body 
in the subsidiary high court, which met at 
Oakland, California, in 1898, and in the one 
which met in San Francisco in May, 1900. 
He is also pjomincnt in Odd Fellowship, be- 
ing a past grand of Enterprise Lodge, No. 
2, and a past chief patriarch of Walla Walla 
Encampment, No. 3. He was married March 
20, 1887, to Miss Mary E. Todd, a native of 



436 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Indiana, who came to Walla Walla in 1879. 
They have two children, Grace Camille and 
Stanlc)' M., both in school in Walla Walla. 

Mr. Cauvel's parents reside near Oil City, 
Pennsylvania, and are enjoying good health, 
though aged, the father seventy-five and the 
mother seventy years. His grandparents were 
among the earliest pioneers of western Penn- 
sylvania. Mrs. Cauvel's parents are old and 
respected pioneers of the Walla Walla valley. 

Among the heirlooms of the Cauvel fam- 
ily is the staple of the ox-yoke used by Mar- 
cus Whitman when he drove into Walla Walla 
county. It was found in the ruins after the 
massacre and fire. ^Ir. Cau\'el also has a 
stufYed mountain lion presented to him by the 
Walla \^'alla Volunteer Fire Department, in 
recognition of the fact that he served that or- 
ganization as president for a longer period 
than any other man. The lion had been pre- 
sented to the company as an appropriate mas- 
cot, the name of the organization being the 
"Tiger" engine company. 



(iEORGE W. BRADBURY, a farmer re- 
siding near Clyde, a pioneer of 1872, was born 
in (JIdtown. I\Iaine. October 8, 1846. While yet 
in infancy he was taken by his parents to St. 
Anthony, Minnesota, a town which bas since 
l:!een incorporated into Minneapolis, although 
at that time Minneapolis consisted of a gov- 
ernment grist mill, and a cabin with a blanket 
for a door. At the time of the Minnesota mas- 
sacre, perpetrated by the Sioux, Mr. Bradbury 
was a member of the expedition which was 
sent out from Fort Snelling against the In- 



dians, proceeding up the Mississippi river to 
t Ridgely. 
He remained at St. Anthonv until seven- 



Port Ridgely 



teen years old, attending the local public school, 
then went with General Sully on his campaign 
against the Sioux Indians, and during this 
campaign assisted in building Fort Rice, which 
stands on the Missouri river near the mouth 
of the Cannon Ball. He participated in a 
se\'en-days fight in which six thousand whites 
were pitted against three times that many red- 
skins. The loss of white men was, however, 
very slight, not exceeding ten or fifteen. On 
the Little Missouri river they also had a three- 
days fight, but without serious loss. The most 
distressing thing which happened here was the 
accidental shooting of a man by his own 
brother, the latter mistaking the former for an 
Indian in the darkness of night. The Indian 
guide was also wounded in this battle, and, as 
might be guessed, he received careful nursing, 
for he was the only man in tlie expedition who 
knew where the command was. They con- 
tinued their journey across the Bad Lands of 
South Dakota to the Yellowstone river, forded. 
this where Glendive. Montana, now stands, 
losing many men and mules by dnnvning, fol- 
lowed the Yellowstone to the Missouri, forded 
that ri\-er, pushed on to the site of the present 
b'ort Buford, and thence to Sioux City, Iowa. 
Here Mr. Bradbury quit the service and 
went on a trap]iing expedition. He had good 
success, but on his return was overtaken by a 
blizzard, which would have cost him his life 
had he not taken refuge in a sheltered spot and 
allowed himself to be covered over with snow. 
F!eturniiig at length to Minneapolis he engaged 
IV the lumbering industry with his father. He 
tollowed that business in winter and rafting 
in summer for three or four years, then en- 
gaged in saw-milling at Deer Lodge, Montana, 
but soon moNcd to Silver Bow, same state, and 
started a meat market for the purpose of sup- 
plying surrounding towns. He remained in 




GEORGE W. BRADBURY 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



437 



tliat business until 1872. then came, via the 
Mullen road, to Walla Walla. Ke farmed a 
rented place for one year, then began freight- 
ing, but as soon as the Xez Perce war broke out 
he again offered his services to the govern- 
ment. He was in the Pendleton fight, and 
though not present at the Cottonwood and Bird 
Canyon battles was on the ground in time to 
assist in burying the dead. 

At the close of hostilities Air. Bradbury en- 
gaged in freighting into Oro Fino, but subse- 
cjuently took a homestead and timber culture 
on Eureka flat, wdiere he resided until 1893. 
He then sold out and purchased his present 
twenty-five-hundred-acre farm. He is now ex- 
tensively engaged in raising wheat, cultivating, 
for that purpose, not only his own mammoth 
farm but also twenty-nine Inmdred acres of 
rented land. 

Mr. Bradbury is a typical pioneer, possessed 
of the indomitable courage characteristic of 
those who have occupied a place in civiliza- 
tion's van, and of a resourcefulness which has 
enabled him to conquer or find a way around 
all difficulties. He is now one of the most 
progressive and successful farmers in the coun- 
ty, bringing to his agricultural pursuits the 
same invincible spirit which he displayed in 
the stern battles of former days. 

In Deer Lodge, Montana, in 1871, he mar- 
ried Miss Milly Harrison, a native of Missouri, 
\\ho died in Walla W'alla in 1882, leaving tw-o 
children : Edward H., now a resident of Walla 
Walla, and Maude, \\ife of Thomas LytMis, of 
^\■alla Walla. 



EATHAN A. LINN, deceased, a pioneer 
of May, 1862, w^as born in Somerset, Ohio, 
August 25, 1832. He resided in the town of 
his birth until nine years old, then accompa- 



nied his parents to New London, Iowa, where 
he completed his education and grew to early- 
manhood. In 1852 his ambitious and venture- 
some spirit led him to undertake the long 
jiiurney across the plains, though the route 
was beset with dangers and had to be traveled, 
with ox-teams. Fie went to Salem, Oregon, 
and thence south to California, where for ten 
years he followed mining with varvine for- 
tunes. In 1862 he visited Walla Walla on bis 
way to the mines of Florence, Idaho, and in 
the fall he returned to this city. The next 
spring he decided to try his fortune in Boise 
basin, so went into that section and spent a 
year or two there, mining and packing. He 
returned to Walla Walla in 1864. 

The next year Mr. Linn and his brother 
Homer came to Old Wallula for the purpose 
of 'Starting in the livery busTness and in dray- 
ing. They met with excellent success in thi^ 
undertaking, and followed it continuously for 
a fifth of a century. Mr. Linn then moved to 
his present place of abode, built two steam 
ferry boats on the Columbia river and estab- 
lished himself in the transportation industry 
at that point. He also followed stock raising 
for a number of years, but some time before 
his death he retired from active business and 
enjoyed a quiet evening of life. 

Mr. Linn always took a lively interest in 
all matters of local concern, and was ever an 
active worker in political campaigns, his party 
afiiliations being with the Republicans. He 
was a member of Walla Walla Lodge, No. 
7. F. & A. M. In Walla Walla valley, on 
July 4, 1870, our subject married Caroline 
James, a native of Kansas, and an old pioneer 
of the coast. They became parents of six chil- 
dren : John E., manager of the warehouse at 
Wallula; Elizabeth, wife of W. F. Burger of 
Dayton; William H., deceased; and three that 



438 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUXTY. 



died in infancy. Mrs. Linn passed away in 
i88j, and her remains lie buried in the !Ma- 
sonic cemetery. Mr. Linn's death occiUTed at 
liis residence in WalUila on December 4, 1900. 
His demise was ver}' sudden, his last illness 
being of but one hour's duration. 



RICHARD GIXX. deceased, of Walla 
Walla, was born in Fife, Scotland, January 
4, 1820. His father died when he was quite 
young, and in 1836 he came with his mother 
to Cornwall, Ontario. He was reared on a 
farm and received his education in the com- 
mon schools. He followed the occupation of 
a farmer in Canada for twenty years, then 
removed to Fairpoint. Minnesota, purchased 
a farm of one hundred and sixty acres and 
for ten years was engaged in wheat raising 
there. 

Mr. Ginn then came to Cmatilla county, 
Oregon, and located one hundred and sixty 
acres of land near the town of \\'eston. To 
this from time to time lie added by purchase 
of school and railroad land and by taking a 
timber culture claim until he had six hun- 
dred and forty acres. He was the first farmer 
to raise wheat in the hills near Weston, and 
threshed his product by using horses to tramp 
it out on the ground. He afterwards sold part 
of his land and purchased four hundred and 
eighty acres in Sherman county, Oregon. 

After a residence of twenty-eight years 
near Weston, Mr. Ginn was compelled, on 
account of failing health, to abandon the hard 
life of a farmer and remove to Walla \\'alla. 
He purchased a beautiful home at X'o. 626 
Whitman street, where he resided until the 
date of his death, April 8, 1899. Two of his 
sons continue to operate his large farm, which 



he deeded to them before his deatli, also one 
of two hundred acres seven miles south of 
Walla Walla, in Oregon. 

While a resident of Minnesota Mr. Ginn 
was active in establishing the public-school 
system of that state, serving as school director 
and aiding in the building of school houses. 
While a resident of Oregon he was for a time 
road appraiser. In Scotland he was a mem- 
ber of the Orangemen, and while living in 
Minnesota he joined the Grange, becoming a 
charter member of Fairpoint Lodge some 
thirty-six years ago. 

Mr. Ginn married, on ^larch 19, 1857, 
iMiss Catherine Kinnear, a native of Cornwall, 
Ontario. Her father, who landed in Canada 
^lay 27i, 1819, was born in Ireland of Scotch 
extraction, and her mother in England. Mr. 
anil Mrs. GJin were both members of the 
Congregational church of \\'alia Walla, and 
Mrs. Ginn still continues to take an active in- 
terest in the work of that society. In the 
family are ten children: Robert J., at present 
a merchant in Moro, Oregon; Eliza J. died 
December 16, 1872; Ella M., now Mrs. J- R- 
Morrison, of Fort Langley, B. C. ; Annie S., 
now wife of William Elliot, of Walla Walla; 
Caroline A., now Mrs. Thomas Thompson, 
of Pendleton, Oregon; John A., deceased; 
Walter T., on his father's old farm; ^Maggie 
J., wife of Alexander Brady; George A., also 
on the farm; Minnie A., with her mother. 
Three of the children, Maggie, George and 
]\Iinnie, are graduates of the Weston Xormal 
School. The entire family are benevolently 
disposed people, and have assisted liberally in 
the building of churches Avherever they have 
lived and in the support of all charitable in- 
stitutions. 

As illustrative of the conditions under 
which many of the early pioneers began life 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



439 



in the valley we may note that when Mr. and 
Mrs. Ginn arrived in Weston their earthly be- 
longings consisted of a wagon and two horses 
and nineteen dollars in greenbacks, then worth 
about ninety per cent, of their face value. 
Their nearest trading point was Walla Walla, 
twentv miles distant, and thither they had to 
go for the provisions and household articles 
necessary fnr their lirst rude home. But such 
was the dauntless spirit which characterized 
these early pioneers that they overcame every 
obstacle and mastered every opposing force, 
though the manner of achie\'ing their x'ictories 
is often a mystery to the rising generation. 



ALBERT E. REID, a pioneer of i88j, 
and now one of the leading business men of 
Wallula, is a native of Ontario, Canada, born 
November i, 1847. He acquired his educa- 
tion in the excellent schools for which that 
proxince is noted, then engaged in railroading, 
an occupation which he followed until about 
twenty-fi\-e years old. In 1872, he removed 
to Washington, D. C, but failing to find con- 
ditions as he expected, he soon went thence to 
Virginia, where for about four years he fol- 
lowed the dairy business. On retiring from 
that, he revisited Canada, not to remain, how- 
ever, for before long we find him in Dakota, 
and again in railroad work. In 1882, he de- 
cided to try his fortune further west, so came 
out to Walla Walla county, took pre-emption 
where Wallula now is, and performed such 
duties in connection with it as the law required 
for perfecting his title, at the same time work- 
ing in the employ of the N. P. R. R. Company. 
He remained with that company until 1894, 
and took a prominent part in the big railway 
strike, serving as chairman of the striking 
committee. 



Since the date mentioiied Air. Reid has' 
given his attention to the mercantile business, 
and now has a good establishment and an ex- 
cellent trade in the town of \\'allula. He held 
the position of postmaster of the town for a 
time under appointment by President Cleve- 
land. Mr. Reid is quite extensively interested 
in Wallula property, a considerable portion of 
the site being his, so that he naturally takes 
an active interest in promoting in every honor- 
al)le way the welfare of his home town. 
He is, liowe\'er. too broad-minded and public- 
spirited to confine his interests to merely local 
matters, the larger afifairs of state and nation 
receiving a share of his attention. He is one of 
the representative men of the Democratic party 
in his part of the state, and was appointed by 
that party a delegate to the convention that 
nominated Charles S. Vorhees for congress 
in territorial times. 

Mr. Reid was married in Wallula, Decem- 
ber 25, 1888, to Miss Emma S. Kuechen, a 
native of Burlington, Iowa, whom he met while 
she was visiting her uncle, Mr. C. A. Linn, 
in 1883. To their union have been born two 
children, Martha and Albert. 



WILLIAM CALLAHAN, one of the lead- 
ing farmers in the vicinity of Pleasant View, 
is a native of ^Vest Virginia, born in 1867. 
His parents were natives of Ireland, but both 
came to America while young, and they were 
is a native of West Virginia, born in 1867. 
(|uircd his education in his native state, and 
when nineteen set out for the west. He came 
as far as Colorado, stopped there a year, then 
came on to Bakersfield, California, where he 
also passed a year. Subsequently he engaged 
in railroad work for the Southern Pacific 



440 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Railroad Company, by wliicli he was employed 
until 1890. In that year he entered the serv- 
ice of the Northern Pacific Company at Cen- 
tralia, where he resided nntil 1892. He then 
took a trip to Montana. In 1893 he returned 
to this state, going first to the sound country. 
whence the same year he came to Walla Walla 
county. Locating at Pleasant View, he pur- 
cliased a quarter section of land, homesteaded 
another adjoining, antl began wheat raising. 
By industry and good management he has 
won for himself a comfortable home and a 
rank among the best farmers of his neigh- 
borhood. 



S.\MUEL J. SMITH, a farmer at Clyde, 
is a native of Tennessee, born August 2, 1871. 
He lived in his native state until ten years old. 
then came with his parents to the state of 
Washington, where he grew to manhood and 
received his education. The family bought land 
on Eureka flat in 1881 and engaged in farm- 
ing, and Mr. Smith remained at home assist- 
ing his father until the latter's death, then took 
full charge of the farm. He now ranks among 
the most extensive and successful tillers of the 
soil in Walla Walla county, being the owner 
of about three thousand acres of land. He is 
an industrious, enterprising and progressive 
young man, enjoying the respect and esteem of 
all his neighliors. He is. in fraternal connec- 
tion, a member of the Knights of Pythias 
Lodge. No. 8, of Wal!a Walla. On December 
4. 1898, he was married in Walla Walla to 
Miss Nora Ebert. a native of Illinois, who 
came with her parents to Eureka flat in 1895. 
They have one daughter, Florence E.. born De- 
cember 10. 1899. Mrs. Smith is a member of 
the M. E. church of Walla Walla. 

Mr. Smith's mother, Marv E. Ebert. was 



born in Tennessee November 26. 1828. She 
resided in Knox county, that state, until 1881. 
then came with her husband to Eureka flat, 
where they took up land. On January 12, 
1S98, she was left a widow. Her land includes 
a fine tract of eighty acres, adjoining the town 
of Clyde. ^Irs. Smith has eight living children, 
William G., Oliver T., Robert M., Samuel J.. 
Harvev L.. lohn W.. Laura A. and Victoria. 



JOHN \\ ICKERSHAM. a farmer resi- 
dent about ten miles east of Walla \\'alla. is 
a native of Belmont county, Ohio, born in 
1 83 1. He lived in that state until twenty-five 
years old, engaged in farming, then went to 
Iowa, where his home was until, in 1862, he 
came to Walla W'alla. His first winter in the 
new country was passed on Birch creek. In 
the spring he moved into the city of Walla 
\\'alla. and from that time until 1866 he was 
employed in teaming to the mines, but he then 
purchased what was known as the old Bab- 
cock place, and again became a farmer. Be- 
fore long, however, he sold out and moved 
to Touchet, where he spent a year. 

Subsequently Mr. Wickersham came to the 
neighborhood in which he now lives, and ac- 
quired land by pre-emption and purchase until 
he had a farm of over a thousand acres. For 
a number of years afterwards he was one of 
the most extensive wheat raisers in the coun- 
tv. but latterly he has operated on a somewhat 
smaller scale. He is a man of energy and in- 
tegritv. and his standing in the community 
in which he resides is of the highest. He has 
been quite active in the campaigns and coun- 
sels of the Populist party since its organiza- 
tion, and has served as a delegate to its state 
conventions. His fraternal connections are 




SAMUEL J. SMITH 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



441 



witli the Pioneers of tlie Pacific, an insurance 
order, of wliich he is an honorary member. 
In Iowa, in the month of October, 1856, 
our subject married Christina AHiertson, and 
of their marriage have been born ten children, 
namely: Isaac Newton, George M., May E., 
Charles C. (deceased). Cora B., John S., Will- 
iam T. (deceased), Alfred L., Mary (de- 
ceased), and Rosetta (deceased). 



SAMUEL A. ASH, a pioneer of 1877, was 
born in V'ermont on July 17, 1856. He resided 
in his native state continuously until twenty- 
one years old, receiving a common school edu- 
cation, but as soon as he had attained his ma- 
jority he came direct to Walla Walla county, 
located at W'allula. old tnwn, and engaged in 
the business of handling sheep, taking charge 
at first of Mr. Charles Buck's herds. He after- 
wards entered the employ of Legrow & 
Adams, for whom he was manager for fifteen 
consecutive years. He invested his earnings 
in sheep, soon acquiring quite a large herd of 
his own, and though he now gives his time to 
other pursuits, he still owns three thousand 
eight hundred liead. He has been interested 
in the saloon business in Wallula since 1891, 
also in a mercantile establishment in the same 
town since 1898. 

Though without monev or inlbicntial 
friends when he arrived in Walla Walla coun- 
ty, he has ])y industry, frugality and careful 
management succeeded in accumulating a mod- 
erate fortune. Besides his Wallula property 
and his stock, he is the owner of seven thousand 
acres in the county, mostly hay and pasture 
land. 

Mr. .'\sh now is and for se\'eral years has 
been deputy county sheep commissioner, and 
while Mr. Ellingsworth was sheriff of the 



county he served as deputy under that officer, 
in Wallula precinct. He was married June 18, 
1892, to Miss Mitta Doke, a native of Wallula, 
daughter of one of the old pioneers of the 
\alley. They ha\e one adopted child. 



JOHN GASTON.— The respected pioneer 
whose name gives caption to this brief bio- 
graphical review was born in county Antrim, 
Ireland, on December 24, 1827, and in his 
veins, mingled together in equal proportions, 
are the blood of that energetic, impulsi\-e race 
and the no less energetic but more staid and 
serene Scot. Mr. Gaston remained in his na- 
tive land until eighteen years of age, receiving 
the advantage of the excellent public schools 
of Belle Mene. On July 11, 1845, however, 
he, with his father and all his brothers and sis- 
ters (his mother having died some eight years 
before), set sail for the new world, and after 
a stormy voyage lasting about two months, 
they at length arri\'ed in Castle Garden, Xew 
York, whence they at once removed to Balti- 
more. In that historic city the family made 
their home for a number of years, and there, 
on April 2t,, 1853, they were deprived of pa- 
rental guidance entirely by the death of the 
father. 

Mr. Gaston had been employed prior to this 
time as a porter in P. T. Barnum's hotel, at 
that time supposed to be the largest in the 
United States, but shortly after his father's 
demise he resolved to try his fortunes in Cali- 
fornia. Accordingly, he took passage on a 
vessel bound for the south with a view to. 
reaching his destination by the Nicaragua 
route, and on October 31, 1853. he landed 
in San Francisco, .\fter a short stay, he went 
to the Nevada City mines, where for several 
years he was engaged in the effort to pene- 



442 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



trate nature's vaults, and win therefrom the 
hidden treasure. Later, he estabHshed a vege- 
table garden in tliat region, a venture which 
turned out well and continued to net him con- 
siderable revenue until the mines closed down. 

Mr. Gaston thereupon moved to Walla 
Walla, with which city he has been identified 
ever since the date of his arrival, June 6, 1862. 
His first business in the new country was 
packing and freighting into the mines of Ida- 
ho, in which industry he used mule-teams. 
He continued to devote his energies to this, 
making several trips into Montana, also, for 
about eight years, after which he engaged in 
the lodging house business at No. 10 South 
Fourth street, where he has ever since resided. 
He is quite extensively interested in Walla 
Walla realty, being the owner not only of the 
house in which he lives and maintains his 
business, but also of several lots on Knob Hill, 
and of other property. 

Mr. Gaston has seen a great deal of pioneer 
life in the west, and in him are developed fully 
all the best traits which characterize that hon- 
ored class. During his long residence in 
Walla Walla, his life has ever been so ordered 
as to secure and retain the confidence, esteem 
and good will of those with whom he has had 
business or social relations, and he is the 
fortunate possessor of an en\iable reputation 
and standing in the city. Fraternally he is 
affiliated with the Masonic order, being a 
member of Walla Walla Lodge No. 7, and also 
of the Chapter. 

On June 6, 1892, the marriage of our sub- 
ject and Mrs. Mary J. Evans was solemnized 
in this county. Mrs. Gaston is a native of 
Ireland, but has been a resident of the United 
States ever since her nineteenth year. ]\Ir. 
Gaston was reared and has ever remained an 
old school Presbvterian. 



SETH A. FERREL, a farmer residing 
about eleven and a half miles east of Walla 
Walla, was born in this county in 1868. He 
received such education as the local public 
schools afiforded, then gave his time to the 
cultivation of the paternal farm until about 
1888. He then purchased one hundred and 
twenty acres, and started farming for himself. 
At present he is farming and raising stock on 
this land, and on one thousand acres which he 
rents from his father for use as pasture. He 
has a splendid orchard of ten acres, and many 
other improvements, which bear testimony to 
his industry and thrift. He is the owner of one 
Inmdred and seventy head of cattle and horses, 
and besides his real estate holdings in this 
county has title to some very good residence 
property in Seattle. In fraternal affiliations, 
he is identified with the Modern Woodmen of 
America. He was married in Walla Walla 
county, in 1888, to Miss Elysia Wickersham, 
daughter of one of the early pioneers of the 
county, and their union has been blest by the 
advent of three children, Clyde B., Edith Flor- 
ence and Harrv. 



WILLIA^I H. CARNES, a saddle and 
harness maker with C. E. Nye, is one of the 
pioneers of Walla Walla, having lived in that 
city since 1880. He was born in Lou'sville, 
Kentucky, December 2"], 1843. In 1853, his 
parents remo\-ed to Indianapolis, Indiana, 
where they remained for five years, then remov- 
ing to Danville, Indiana. 

At the age of eighteen years, !Mr. Carnes 
responded to the first call of President Lincoln 
for volunteers. He enlisted in Company A, 
Seventh Indiana Infantry, under Colonel Du- 
mont for the three months service, taking part 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



443- 



in the first figlit at Phillii)pi, West Virginia, 
which occurred several days before the battle 
of Bull Run. At the expiration of his three 
months enlistment, he re-enlisted for three 
years or during the war, in the Fifty-third 
Indiana Infantry, under Colonel Walter Q. 
Gresham, late secretary of state in the cabinet 
of President Cleveland. Mr. Carnes served 
with his regiment through the entire war, being' 
under General Grant until after the surrender 
of Vicksburg, then under General Sherman 
through the Atlanta campaign and the famous 
march to the sea. 

At the close of his three years, Mr. Carnes 
re-enlisted for three years more in the veteran 
service. He was with Sherman's triumphant 
army in the campaign from Savannah through 
South Carolina and North Carolina, terminat- 
ing in the surrender of General Joe Johnston, 
near Raleigh, in April, 1865. He also was with 
the army in its march to Washington city and 
took part in the grand review in the national 
capital. His regiment was then returned to 
Lidianapolis, where they were mustered out. 
JMr. Carnes was wounded at the battle of At- 
lanta, being shot in the left foot during a 
charge, and was incapacitated for active service 
for about two months, but being a mounted 
courier, did not take a discharge. He par- 
ticipated in the battle of Shiloh, the siege of 
Corinth, battle of Hatchie river, the Vicksburg 
campaign and siege, the raid on Meridian, 
Mississippi, in the winter of 1863 and '64, and 
in the engagement at Jackson, Mississippi, 
after the Vicksburg surrender. 

Upon l)eing mustered out, he removed to 
Fairbury, Illinois, where he served an appren- 
ticeshi]) of three years to a harness maker. 
He then went to Princeton, Arkansas, and 
opened a grocery store in connection with a 
harness shop and saddlery. In the spring of 



1873 he removed to San Francisco, where he 
followed his trade until March, 1880, removing 
then to Walla Walla. For two years he was 
employed in the harness shop of Thomas 
Quinn, after which he opened a shop of his own 
on East Main street. In 1891, his place was 
destroyed by fire and he lost his shop with his 
entire stock and tools, and he then accepted 
his present position with C. E. Nye. 

j\Ir. Carnes is a member of the Knights of 
Pythias, Columbia Lodge, No. 8, of Walla 
Walla, and of Lincoln Post, No. 4, G. A. R., 
in which he is a past commander. He has 
represented his post as a delegate to the depart- 
ment encampment and has served as aide-de- 
camp on the staff of the commander in chief 
of the G. A. R. He was married in Danville, 
Indiana, November 10, 1869, to Miss Elizabeth 
Kempton, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio. 



WALTER S. FERGUSON, a farmer, re- 
siding about se\-en miles east of A\'alla Walla,, 
is a son of the west, having been born in Doug- 
las county, Oregon, in 1866. He came with the 
remainder of the family to Walla \^'al!a coun- 
ty, in 1872, and his first home in this section 
was about three miles east of the place where he 
now resides. He received a good education, 
enjoying the advantages both of the public 
schools and of Whitman College, then engaged 
in farming as an occupation. He is now the 
owner of three hundred and twenty acres of 
fine land, and is engaged in raising wlieat 
principally, though he also gives some atten- 
tion to other farm products. He is one of the 
solid and .substantial citizens of the county, and 
though not amliitious for leadership or personal 
preferment, enjoys an alumdant measure of the 
esteem and good will of his neighbors. He 



444 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



married, in this county, in 1895. Miss Jessie 
ilay Foster, a member of one of the eadiest 
pioneer families and they have two children. 
Cecil W. and Bessie L. The family are mem- 
bers of the Methodist Episcopal church. 



ELI W. CROUP. D. D. S.— Walla Walla, 
like most other western cities, is supplied with 
a large corps of able and efficient professional 
men many of whom are among the choicest 
products of the finest colleges, universities and 
professional schools in the land. Prominent 
among them is Eli W. Croup, one of the 
leading dental surgeons in eastern Washington. 
He was born in Butler, Pennsylvania, on April 
1 8. 1852, and in the ptiblic schools of that 
town he took his initial steps in the pursuit 
of an education. He supplemented his thorough 
common school training by a complete course 
in \\itherspoon Seminary, and immediately 
after graduation began the study of dentistry 
under Dr. S. R. Diffenbaucher. Five years 
were given to the study and practice of dentist- 
n,-. and at the end of this protracted appren- 
ticeship Dr. Croup became a partner of his 
former preceptor. This partnership continued 
until the death of Dr. Diflfenbaucher. where- 
upon Dr. Croup purchased his partner's inter- 
ests and continued the business alone. His skill 
and assiduity brought him a very large patron- 
age, and the net annual earnings of his office 
ran up into the thousands of dollars, but failing 
health soon compelled him to seek a more 
salubrious climate. 

Accordingly. Dr. Croup placed his business 
in charge of an assistant and came west, arriv- 
ing in Walla Walla August 6, 1884. He 
found the conditions and prospects ven,- favor- 
able, and. though he could not do so without 
material sacrifice, he soon decided to make this 



city his permanent home. He sold his business 
in the east, brought his family to Walla Walla 
and prepared to engage in the practice of his 
profession here. Until 1896, he maintained an 
office in the Kirkman building, but the growth 
of his practice rendered larger and more con- 
venient offices necessary, so he then moved to 
the Ouinn building, where we now find him. 
The present firm. Croup Bros., was formed in 
1895, when the Doctor took his younger 
brother, who had also become a dentist of abili- 
ty, into partnership. 

Dr. Croup is thoroughly devoted to his 
profession, and has given the assiduous efforts 
of many years to the masterv- of everything per- 
taing to diseases of the mouth and teetli 
and to their treatment. In furtherance of this 
end he, in iS93.took an extended post-graduate 
course in Haskell's Prosthetic School of Dent- 
istry in Chicago. 

In fraternal affiliations, the Doctor is iden- 
tified with the Woodmen of the A\'orld, Camp 
Xo. 96. of Walla Walla, while in religious 
persuasion, he and his entire family are Metho- 
dists, their membership being in the First 
Methodist Episcopal church of this city. 

Dr. Croup was m.arried on the 28th of 
^larch. 1879. to Miss Susan D. Eshingbaugh, 
a native of Butler. Pennsylvania, and to their 
union two children have been bom: Estella 
May, who will graduate in vocal music from a 
musical college in Chicago in June. 1901 : and 
Myrtle Gail, a pupil in the public schcols of 
A\"alla Walla. 



ALFRED C. WELLM.\X, a farmer 
near Clyde, is a native of Alabama, bom Xo- 
vember 3. 1835. When a year old he was 
tr.ken by his parents to Missouri, where his 
father became an extensive farmer and mer- 




ALFRED C. WELLMAN 



HISTORY OF WALLA \\ALLA COL'XTY. 



445 



chant. Mr. W'ellnian attemled the pubhc 
schools until he acquired a good general educa- 
tion, then in 1855 took charge of his father's 
eleven-hundred-acre farm. In 1S62 the father 
died. The next year the fa.nily started across 
the plains with o.x-teams to Walla Walla coun- 
ty, where, shortly after his arrival, Mr. Well- 
man took a pre-emption on Dry creek. He 
also engaged in mining in Idaho, and succeeded 
in locating some very rich claims. 

In 1871 Mr. Wellman was elected county 
assessor of Walla Walla county, and at the ex- 
piration of his term he became deputy sheriff, 
serving for two years. He then made a trip 
east in the interest of a patent calculator, one 
of his own invention. On his return he went 
to Silver City, Idaho, wliere he mined until 
1876. He then located a timber culture on 
Eureka flat, and became one of the pioneer ag- 
riculturists of that section. He now owns and 
farms six hundred and forty acres on Eureka 
flat, raising wheat. 

He is an energetic and progTessi\e man, 
higiily esteemed in his community, and re- 
sjiected as one who may be relied upon to do 
as he agrees at all times. He was married 
ir April, 1S55, to Miss Helen M. Merritt, a 
native of Missouri, and to them have been born 
seven children, Charles \'., Alice C, Richard 
H.. Percy L., Mary J., Mark A. and Al C. In 
fraternal affiliations Mr. Wellman is identified 
with the Elks. Mrs. Wellman is a member of 
the Christian church, having joined the so- 
ciety of that faith in Xew London, Missouri, 
in 1855. 



was taken by parents, when a small boy. His 
father followed lumbering and milling in Mich- 
igan, but. in 1855. he and his son, Charles T., 
together came to Iowa, where they bought 
land, and turned their attention to the business 
of tilling the soil. In the fall of 1879, Mr. 
Sweetser came, via San Francisco, to Looking 
Glass valley, and embarked in the lumber in- 
dustry, but, the following spring, he moved 
to Prescott, took a homestead of one hundred 
and sixty acres, and a timber culture of one 
hundred and sixty more four miles north of 
that town and started farming. He has been 
engaged in that industry continuously since, 
with excellent success, and has a fine, well 
cultivated farm. His home and surround- 
ings bear eloquent testimony to his thrift, 
energy and progressiveness. He was mar- 
ried in Iowa, in 1874. to iNIiss Ella M. 
Haviland, a native of Illinois, but a resident 
of Iowa from, her twelfth year until the date 
of her marriage. Mr. and ]^Irs. Sweetser are 
parents of three children, living: \'iola, born 
September 8, 1875: Grace, born September 3. 
1886; Pansy, born January 9, 18S9; also one. 
Archie, deceased. 



CHARLES T. SWEETSER, a farmer 
near Prescott, is a native of Maine, born De- 
cember 10. 1849. He was reared and educated 
in Port Huron. Michigan, to which city he 



GEORGE HARRIS CHAMBERLLX, one 
of the most respected business men of Walla 
^\'alIa, is tlie present secretary and manager 
of the Chamberlin Lumber Company, No. 213 
East Rose street. He is the son of George H. 
Chamberlin and was born at Rock Falls, Wis- 
consin. July 5. 1865. where he grew to man- 
hood, receiving his education in Galesville 
L'niversity of Wisconsin, from which he grad- 
uated in 1886. He engaged in the lumber busi- 
ness in Wisconsin as an employee of the Eau 
Claire Lumber Company, with whom he re- 



446 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



mained two years. After tliis, he spent about 
a year in traveling, but tinally deciiled to come 
Avest and in December. 1888, settled at 
Bucoda, Washington. There he was employed 
by the Seatco Manufacturing Company for 
about eighteen months. 

On June 30, 1890, Mr. Chamberlin came to 
Walla Walla to look after the interests of the 
Bucoda company, and that he continued to do 
until INIarch, 1889. \Mien, on that date, the 
company was reorganized and the present firm 
formed, he was elected secretary and manager. 
He owns a large part of the stock of the com- 
pany and to his efforts its success has been 
largely due. Their business has been liberally 
])atronized and the growth of their trade is 
very gratifying and satisfactory. 

Mr. Chamberlin was married I\Lirch 10, 
1887, in ^Meridian, Wisconsin, to Harriet E. 
Garland, a daughter of Mr. and I\Irs. J. B. 
Garland. Her father was manager of the Eau 
Claire Lumber Company's interests at Alerid- 
ian, Wisconsin, and a highly respected citizen 
of that community. :Mr. Chamberlin is a meiu- 
ber of Blue [Mountain Lodge, No. 13, F. & A. 
^L, and belongs also to Walla Walla Chapter, 
Xo. I, Royal Arch Masons, and to Washing- 
ton Commandery, No. i, Knights Templar, 
also to the Society of Colonial Wars, in the 
state of Minnesota. 

Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlin and their two 
children, Louise and Helen, reside at 421 
Lincoln street. They are members of St. 
Paul's Episcopal church. 



where he resided until 1862, engaged in farm- 
.ing. In that year, however, he started across 
the plains with ox-teams, taking six months 
to make the journey. He, with his family, 
lived on Cottonwood creek the first winter, but 
the following spring they bought land seven 
miles southeast of Walla \\'alla, where Air. 
Shelton passed the remainder of his days, and 
where his wife still lives. He w-as for many 
years engaged in the nursery business, and sup- 
plied the stock for many a fine orchard. 

i\lr. Shelton was always looked upon, (lur- 
ing his lifetime, as one of the leading spirits of 
his community, and was frequently elected to 
local offices. For several seasons he served 
as director of the school district in which he re- 
sided, and he also held the offices of road 
overseer, justice of the peace and constable 
at different times. ]\Ir. Shelton was married 
in Davis county, Iowa, in 1850, to Margaret 
Earnst, who survives him and lives on the 
home which they had at the time of his death. 
Thev had one son, William Allen. 



WILLIAM M. SHELTON, deceased, was 
born in Indiana in 1827. He passed his early 
youth and received his education in that state, 
liut when nineteen years old moved to Iowa, 



CHARLES A. TYSON, a pioneer of 1877, 
is a native of New York, born May 4, 1846. 
Fie was taken by parents to Illinois while still 
in his early youth, and in that state and the 
state of Nebraska he grew to manhood and 
was educated. He removed to Calfornia in 
1873, and in 1877 came north to Oregon, 
whence, three years later, he proceeded to the 
Walla Walla valley. Locating in the vicinity 
of Wallula, he secured some land and engaged 
in farming and stock raising, and that occupa- 
tion he has followed continuously since with 
good success. 

Mrs. Tyson owns a half section near \\"al- 
lula, and a quarter section in Umatilla county. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



447 



Oregxin, upon which they keep, besides other 
stock, a large bunch of horses. Our subject 
is a prosperous ranchman, a good neighbor, and 
an estimalile member of society. Li the state 
of Nebraska, in 1867, he married Loretta 
Sapp, who died in 1872, leaving two children, 
Belle, wife of Frank Martin, and James F. 
He married again in January, 1S80, the lady 
being Airs. Matilda A. Warner, a native of 
Ohio, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas 
Burdett, and of this union two children have 
Ijeen Ijorn, Robert and Charles R. 

Mrs. Tyson's first husband, George \\''arner, 
was an early pioneer of the coast, having come 
to California in 1852. In 1861, he settled in 
Walla Walla county, a half mile east of Wallu- 
la, where he resided until death overtook him. 
March 22, 1877. He is sur\-ived by two chil- 
dren, Jessie, now Mrs. Gustavus Kuhlenkomp, 
and George W. Mr. Warner was quite promi- 
nent in local affairs during the years he spent 
in the neighborhood of Wallula, serving as jus- 
tice of the peace, and at different times hold- 
ing municipal offices. 



AMOS CUMMINGS, a pioneer of 1867, 
and a man who has long been very prominent 
in the development of Walla Walla county, is 
a native of Indiana, bum January 9, 1832. 
\\nien ten years old, he accompanied his parents 
to Rock county, Wisconsin, where he resided 
until man's estate had been reached and where 
he completed his public school education. In 
1850, he crossed the plains to California, ex- 
periencing considerable trouble with the In- 
dians, two of his party being killed and many 
head of cattle stolen. On his arrival in the 
Golden state, he engaged in mining on the 



Feather ri\-er, where, by an unfortunate acci- 
dent, he was crippled for life. He was caught 
under a falling tree, and had an arm and a 
leg broken. 

In 1852, he returned, via the isthmus, to 
Wisconsin, and in 1853 lie engaged in the mer- 
chandise business in Mitchell county, Iowa, 
where he lived and prospered until 1S57. In 
that year he moved to Linn county, Kansas, 
and for the next decade was a farmer there. 
He also served as a member of the militia dur- 
ing the final years of the war. In August, 
1867, he again set out across the plains, and 
early the next year he was established in a 
hotel business in Old Wallula. He was, for 
several years afterwards, one of the popular 
hotel men of the town, but in 1870 he started 
a mercantile establishment there. Subsequent- 
ly, he removed to ^Vallula Junction, and entered 
into partnership with his brother in a general 
merchandise business in that town, but this 
they long since sold out. For seventeen years 
prior to 1892 he served as postmaster in Wal- 
lula, but since withdrawing from that oftice he 
has lived in practical retirement, at least from 
business. Since 1896, he has been living on his 
two-hundred-acre farm, engaged in raising 
alfalfa hay and some stock. 

Mr. Cummings has long held a place of 
leadership in the county government, serving 
in all about ten years on the board of county 
commissioners, and Ijeing chairman of that 
board which built the court house. Recently 
he has been again elected as a C(jmmissioner 
to serve until 1903. 

Mr. Cummings has been a Mason for 
thirty-five years, his membership at present be- 
ing in the AValla Walla Lodge, No. 8. He was 
married in Iowa, May 3, 1857, to Miss Susan 
E. Babb, a native of Indiana, and they have 
six children, three of whom are li\-ing, namely: 



44S 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Alice M.. now wife of ^L L. Johnson: Josepii 
J., and Edgar, at present a soldier in the Philip- 
pines. 



URL\S S. HARMAN, one of the pioneers 
of Walla \\'alla, was born near the Canadian 
line in the state of New York. April 18, 1840. 
When he was seven years of age, the family 
removed to New Bremen. Cook county, Illi- 
nois, whence they later moved to Joliet, going 
thence twelve months afterward to Davenport. 
Iowa, where for ten years they lived on a farm, 
and where Mr. Harman completed his educa- 
tion. From his sixteenth to his twenty-first year 
he was employed as a farm laborer. In Sep- 
tember, 1 86 1, he enlisted in Company E, Sec- 
ond Iowa Cavalry, under Captain Hendricks, 
and served three years and one month. He 
took part in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, 
White Station, West Point, Franklin, Nash- 
ville and others and in numerous skirmishes. 
At Pittsburg Landing, his regiment charged a 
Confederate battery of six guns and lost twen- 
tj' men and about two hundred horses, but 
silenced the battery. 

After being mustered out in September, 
1864, Mr. Harman located in Clinton coun- 
ty, Iowa, and again engaged in farming. In 
1869 he removed to Sioux City, Iowa, 
and in the spring of 1877 emigrated to 
California. He was employed about four 
months there as a farm hand, but then came 
to Portland, Oregon, whence, shortly after- 
wards, he removed to \\"alla Walla valley. He 
settled on a farm on Mill creek where he lived 
until 1897, but in that year he removed to 
Walla Walla, in which city he has since resided. 
He is now employed as janitor of the Sharp- 
stein school. 

Mr. Harman was married at Grand Mound, 



Iowa, June 28, 1868, to Miss Sarah A. Great- 
tra.x, a native of Massachusetts, whose parents 
were pioneers, of Illinois and Iowa. Their chil- 
dren are Francis E., an engineer in the mines 
of the John Jay district: Charles W., a farmer 
in this county; and Lester L., a printer on the 
Walla Walla Union. ^Ir. Harman is a member 
of -Abraham Lincoln Post, Grand Army of the 
Republic, of Walla Walla. 

The family are members of the Episcopal 
church. The son, Charles W., was a member 
of the First Washington \'olunteers in the 
Spanish-American war, belonging to Companj* 
I, commanded by Captain Buffam, and he was 
all through the Philippine campaign, taking 
part in all the engagements in which his regi- 
ment participated, prominent among which 
were the battles at Pasig river and Paco church. 



JOSEPH W. HARBERT, one of the old- 
est pioneers of Walla Walla county, was born 
in ^lontgomery county, Indiana. September 
-5- 1^3.^- He passed the first nine years of 
bis life there, then moved with his father to 
Dubuque, Iowa, whence two years later he 
went to Linn county, same state. Here he re- 
mained until May 10. 1859. when he set out 
across the plains to the west, making the trip 
with o.x-teams. On the twenty-fourth anni- 
versary of his birth he arrived in Walla Walla, 
and from that time until the present day he 
has been a very efficient factor in the upbuild- 
ing and development of the county. 

Mr. Harbert busied himself during the win- 
ter of 1859-60 in riving the first shingles ever 
put ujx)n a house in this city. His next em- 
ployment was freighting with ox-teams from 
The Dalles to Walla Walla for the Bagleys, 
and after making two trips he entered the em- 




J. W. HARBERT 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



449 



ploy of 'Sir. Charles Russell, wIk-) had a contract 
to deliver one hundred tons of freight to Pend 
d'Oreille Lake. While on his third trip in this 
delivery he and his partner were the only white 
men between that lake antl the Snake river. 
Our subject worked for Air. Russell for about 
a year and a half, then was in partnership with 
him in the freighting industry one summer, 
but in the fall of 1862 they dissolved partner- 
ship, dividing the teams, and from that time 
until 1866 Mr. Harbert hauled freight on his 
own sole account. In that year, however, he 
bought land four miles east of Walla Walla, 
where he has ever since resided. He now has 
a fine farm of twelve hundred acres, well im- 
proved and cultivated, and furnished with ex- 
cellent buildings, and the magnitude of his in- 
dustry may be imagined when it is remembered 
that he keeps about seventy-five head of horses 
for his own use. His principal crop is wheat, 
though he is also more extensively interested 
in the production of corn than any other man 
in the county, having raised over one hundred 
acres per year of this product for the last 
twenty years. He has ten acres of prunes and 
four acres planted to other varieties of fruit. 
Mr. Harbert is a very industrious, enter- 
prising man, possessed of a sturdy pioneer 
spirit, and, as before intimated, has borne an 
important j^art in the industrial development of 
Walla Walla ctnmty. He deserves an honored 
place among the builders of the west. On 
July 13, 1866. in Lewiston, Idaho, he married 
Miss Emma Evans, who died in January, 1878, 
leaving six children, Henry P., Ida II., .\lvin 
L., Floy, Homer L. and Liberty. Mr. Har- 
bert was again married, on April 8, 1884, in 
Cheney, Washington, to Lizzie C. De(jrof¥, and 
of this union three children ha\e l)cen born, 
Cora, deceased, Clifford and Hazel. 
a9 



JOSEPH LAFORTUNE, whose connec- 
tion with the city and county of Walla Walla, 
dates back to 1883, was born in Canada in 
i860. He acquired his education in the public 
schools of his native land, then removed to 
Michigan, where he was employed in the iron 
mines and in the lumber camps until he came to 
the state of Washington. For a number of years 
after his arrival here, he busied himself with 
various kinds of work, but in 1889 he received 
a permanent position from Mr. D. H. Henroid, 
by whom he was employed until 1894. He 
then engaged in business for himself in com- 
pany with Mr. Genevay. 

Our subject's interest in the town is mani- 
fested in many ways, but finds more specific 
expression in the fact that for years he has 
belonged to the volunteer fire department. He 
is quite a prominent man in fraternal circles, 
being an active member in the Catholic Knights 
of America, the Young Men's Institute, the 
Eagles, and the Improved Order of Red Men. 
On February 5, 1894, he was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Elmira Bergevin, a native of 
Walla Walla, daughter of early pioneer parents. 
They have three children, Lucille, Joseph, and 
Lester. 



GEORGE H. MIDDLETON, a hotel- 
keeper at ^Vaitsburg, was born in ShefBeld, 
England, April 7, 1855. He attended the 
schools of his fatherland for a time, but when 
only sixteen, emigrated to America, accom- 
])anicd by his mother, a widow, and by his 
uncle and sister, all of whom have since 
died. He located in Kansas, but was not 
there many years before the call came for 
volunteers for the Indian war, and he en- 
listed. He served under General Canbv three 



450 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



years. At the close of hostilities, he took a 
homestead ami timber culture in Lane county, 
Kansas, where he farmed uninterruptedly until 
1881. when he came to Walla Walla. 

For the first five years after his arrival here, 
Mr. Middleton was engaged in the restaurant 
business, hiU in 1886 removed to Rulo Sta- 
tion on the Hunt railroad, fifteen miles north 
of Walla Walla, and resumed farming. He 
was there until 1893, then returned to Walla 
Walla, renting a farm, lie tried the dray busi- 
ness in this city for three years, but at length 
tiring of that, returned to his place at Rulo, 
and again became a tiller of the soil, remaining 
in that occupation until quite recently. 

Since Seiitcmber 22, 1900. however, he has 
been proprietor of the leading hotel in Waits- 
burg. His farm of one hundred and sixty 
acres he lets out to other parties. Mr. Middle- 
ton is one of the respected men of the town in 
Avhich he lives, and stands well in every other 
neighboriiood in the county in which he has 
resided. He was married in 3ililtun, Oregon, 
January i, 1893, to Miss Eleanor L. Owen, a 
native of California, and they have one living 
child, Lorena G., born October 27, 1893. 



J. I'lL'ROKER, a farmer, residing five and 
:a half miles east of Walla ^\^alla, was born in 
Ohio, January 18, 1845. ^^ lived there until 
twelve years old, then moved with the remain- 
der of the family to I\Iontgomery county. Mis- 
souri, whence, three years later, he went to 
Iowa. Me was a resident of that state until 
.April, 1864, then set out across the plains with 
teams to AX'alla Walla. He remained here from 
the time of his arrival until September, 1865. 
when he went to Linn county, Oregon, where 
the ensuing three years were passed. Returning, 



then, to this c<junty, he took a homestead and 
purchased a ijuarter section of land on Mil! 
creek, not far from his present place of abode. 
In June, 1883, he bought the farm on which 
he now lives. He is the owner of three hundred 
and seventy-five acres of fine land, and is en- 
gaged principall)- in producing wheat. An in- 
dustrious, progressive, enterprising man, he 
stands well in the community in which he re- 
sides, though he does not seem to be specially 
ambitious for personal preferment, or leader- 
ship among his confreres. He wa§ married in 
Walla Walla county, December 9, 1877, to 
Miss Josephine Patterson, also a pioneer of the 
west, and they have one child, Claudia. 



CHARLES -V. JACOliS, proprietor of the 
Perfection creamery and dairy, half a mile 
west of Touchet. is a pioneer of 1862, having 
been brought to this valley from Oregon by 
his parents in that year. His father crossed the 
plains to Oregon at a very early date, and was 
connectcil with the early development of 
various parts of the northwest until his death, 
which occurred in Walla Walla. His mother, 
now Mrs. J. H. Lasater, still lives in this city. 
Mr. Jacobs was born in Oregon in i860, 
was brought to the comity, as before stated, 
when two years old, and after a brief stay 
was taken to Boise, Idaho, where lie lived until 
1870, and where he took his first steps in the 
pursuit of an education. He has, however, re- 
sided in this county since that date, ctjniplet- 
ing his public school training here. He began 
his career as a merchant at Touchet, but was 
abo interested in farming, so took up some 
land in the vicinity, and bought more from time 
to time until he is now the owner of eight 
hundred acres. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



451 



For al)out eigiit years past. Mr. Jaco1)S 
has I)een quite extensively engaged in the dairy 
business, and so important did his interests in 
tiiis industry become tiiat in 1897 he sold out 
his mercantile establishment that he might give 
his will lie time and attcntinn to it. He estab- 
lished a creamery in connection, and is now 
making about two hundred and twenty-five 
pounds of butter per week, lie keeps a fine 
herd of picked dairy cattle. 

Mr. Jacobs is a bright, business-like man, 
wide awake to every opportunity to better his 
condition in life, and usually successful in 
what he undertakes. He was married in Touch- 
ct in i88_', to Miss Kachael Cummins, a native 
of Iowa, and they Iia\e a family of four chil- 
dren, Arthur M., Maljel R., .Mice R.. and 
Nellie M. 



AMANDER M. NICHOLAS, a retired 
farmer, came to Walla Walla November 10. 
1877. He was born at La Porte, Indiana, 
September i, 1854. In his infancy his jiarcnts 
removed to Fort Wayne, Indi;ma. where his 
father engaged in general express work, and 
where he received his erlucation. At the age 
of seventeen years, his father having died, he 
removed with his mother to Cerro Gordo, 
Piatt county, Illinois, anrl he was engaged at 
farm work for wages there until J 877, when he 
went to Kansas, seeking a place for settlement, 

Not finding the country satisfactory, Mr. 
Nicholas came to Walla Walla, and shortly 
after his arrival engaged to work for Dr. Bla- 
lock, by whom he was employed in construct- 
ing a flume and on the farm for a periorl of 
eighteen months. 1 Ic then rented land and be- 
gan farming for himself, following that indu.s- 
try successfully for several years. In March. 
1888, he purchased two hundred and fifteen 



acres of land six miles .southwest f)f Walla 
Walla, which he still owns, and in 1891 he 
purchased a cosy home in Walla \Valla, No. 
353 NVest Maple street, where he now resides. 
He also owns two houses and three lots on 
Sprague and Chestnut streets, has a house and 
two lots on Seventh street and a fine house and 
lot on Seventh and Willow streets. He also 
owns a ten-acre tract near the O. R. & N. depot, 
on which he is constructing a small distillery 
which will soon be in operation. 

Our subject is a member of the I. O. F., 
of Walla Walla, and also of the Fraternal 
Union of America. He was married in Walla 
Walla November 9, 1887, to Susan Bashore, a 
nati\-e of Ohio, whom he met in Illinois, and 
who came in the same immigrant party with 
him to Walla Walla. They have four children, 
Addie C, Alice M., Lillie B., and David D. 
l\Ir. Nicholas has been a school director of his 
district for two years in Oregon and i- an 
active friend of education. 



J. FRED ROHN, a farmer, residing ten 
miles east of Walla Walla, was born in this 
county in 1871, so he has the distinction of 
being one of the comparatively few grown men 
who are sons of the Evergreen stale. He ac- 
quired his education in the public schools of 
this county, then worked on the farm for a 
time, but is now the owner of land of his own, 
and is engaged in business on his own account. 
His place is already fairly well improved, and, 
as a natural effect of his industry and toil, is 
rapidly being reduced to submission. He is en- 
gaged principally in raising wheat, but is also 
starting a fine young orchard, and is giving at- 
tention to other farm products. A young man 
of energy and ambition, he is speedily becoming 



452 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



one of the leading farmers of his section. He 
was married in Dayton. Wasliington. in 1894, 
to Miss Lnhi Beeson, and they have three chil- 
dren, Elmer F., Gladys M.. and John J. 



IIOX. ALEX CAMERON, a farmer re- 
siding three miles southeast of Walla Walla, 
is a native of Rosshire. Scotland, born in 1834. 
He lived in his fatherland until eighteen years 
old, receiving the advantage of the thorough 
common schools for which Scotland is noted. 
In 1 85 J, ho\ve\er, he came to Quebec, Canada, 
and after a residence of about six months in 
that province he travelled quite extensively 
through Michigan, also visiting Cliicago. Cleve- 
land and other cities in the neighboring states. 
When the Chicago, Burlington & Ouincy Rail- 
way Company began the construction of its 
road, he entered its employ, and remained with 
them for several months, but he at length quit 
their service, settled in Stark county, Illinois, 
ami turned his attention to farming. He was 
thus employed for eight or nine years, at the 
end of which time he went to Jefferson coim- 
ty, Iowa, and secured a position in the coal 
mines there located. 

In April, 1863, Mr. Cameron set out across 
the plains to this county. He experienced 
some little trouble with the Indians, on ac- 
count of their interfering with the stock, but 
fouuil them for the most part disposed to be 
friendly. For a year after his arrival in \\'alla 
\\"alla county he lived on a rented farm, but 
he then homesteaded a quarter section where he 
now resides. To this he has since added an- 
otiier one-hundred-and-sixty-acre tract, ac- 
quired by pivrchase. and he is now engaged in 
raising wheat, barley, corn and other cereals. 
He has long been a prominent man in the local 



affairs of the county, ever manifesting a will- 
ingness to bear his portion of the public bur- 
dens, and to do what lie can for the promotion 
of the general welfare. For five years lie was 
road overseer and for about ten he had a 
place on the board of trustees of his district. 
In 1893, he was elected to represent his county 
in the state legislature. 

While on his way to the west, he was mar- 
ried in Council Bluff's, to Miss Janet McRae. 
tiie ceremony being performed on May 18. 
1863. Mr. and ilrs. Cameron became parents 
of nine children: John A.; Jane S., deceased; 
Daniel, deceased; Bessie, Belle, ^laggie, Jessie, 
George and Hattie. Mr. Cameron is a member 
of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and 
tiie Modern Woodmen of America. 



GEORGE DACRES.— The respected pio- 
neer wliose name forms the caption of this 
article is a son of the Emerald Ish. the land 
from which came so many of the men whose 
restless energ}^ and resistless force have 
wrought the development of the Inland Em- 
pire. A man of great native ability, indomit- 
able will power and above all of unswerving 
integrity. Mr. Dacres ranks among the "true 
and the tried" citizens of Walla Walla, and 
his faithfulness to every trust, public or private, 
which has been reposed in him has won him the 
esteem and confidence of the entire community. 

^[r. Dacres was b.orn in 1829. He grew to 
man's estate and acquired his educational dis- 
cipline in his Irish home parish, but with the 
advent of manhood came the desire to try his 
fortunes in the new world, so in 1849 ^^'^ fi"<i 
him embarking aboard a vessel bound for 
America. He landed in New York in due 
course ami in 1852 came thence via the isthmus 




GEORGE DACRES 



HISTORY OF W'ALLA \\'ALLA COUXTY. 



4S3 



route to California, where for five years lie 
served as a clerk in a store, thereafter coming 
to the state of Washington, whence in 1858 he 
n-ade a trip into the Fraser ri\-er region. Im- 
mediately upon his retnrn he entered the em- 
ploy of the United States government as an 
assistant in making the survey between this 
state and Brit'sh Columbia, a task which kept 
him busy until i860. 

From that date until about 1875 Mr. Dacres 
was employed in packing with mules into the 
various mining camps of this section, and since 
that date he has given his attention almost ex- 
clusively to farming. His methods in this in- 
dustry have been conservati\e yet progressive, 
the sphere of his control gradually widening 
until at present he is the owner of one one- 
thousand-acre tract, a portion of which is with- 
in the city limits of Walla ^^■alla, and of real 
estate located elsewhere in the county suf- 
ficient to bring his entire holdings up to a 
grand aggregate of three thousand acres. In 
1899 o"'' subject erected in Walla Walla the 
Hotel Dacres, the finest and liest equipped hotel 
in the city. 

But it is not alone in material things that 
]\Ir. Dacres' interest in the general well-being 
has found expression. He has ever manifested 
nuich concern for the social ad\-ancement of the 
city and taken an active part in promoting the 
cause of good local government, himself serv- 
ing at one time for two years as a member of 
its city council. ]\Ir. Dacres has been twice 
married. In Walla Walla, in September, 1864, 
he wedded Margaret Russell, a native of Ire- 
land, who died in this city in 1887, leaving two 
children, James and Mary. In 18S9 he was 
again marrie<l. the lady being Margaret Don- 
nelly, also a native of Ireland, and she, too, 
l)assed away, after having Ijorne him his third 
child, George. 



ROBERT 1 HOMPSON, a retired farmer, 
was one of the early pioneers of the Walla 
Walla valley. He was born in Ireland, July 
17, 1827, but when he was but four years old 
his parents lirought him to the United States, 
arriving in 1831. They located in Center coun- 
ty. Pennsylvania, where his father engaged in 
iron mining. Here Robert spent his boyhood 
life and was educated. 

In 1S46, with his parents, he removed to 
what was then the far west, settling on a claim 
near Dubuque, Iowa, which claim, when it was 
surveyed and placed on the market, they pur- 
chased from the government. In those early 
days of pioneer life in that country, they en- 
dured the privations common to early settlers. 
Their first cabin was built of logs, with the 
old fashioned, pnncheoned floor and clapboard 
roof, the entire structure being of oak, with- 
out a single nail to hold it together and the roof 
being held in place by ridgepoles. 

The gold excitement in California lured 
Robert in 1853 to the Pacific coast. He crossed 
the plains with a four-horse team, making the 
trip from Omaha, Nebraska, to Beckwith val- 
ley, California, in a little less than three months, 
o-oine over the Truckee route. In the "76" 
camp on Jamieson creek, be worked in the 
mines for a month and nine days, for which he 
was not paid. Later he located in Deadwood 
camp, nine miles from ^'reka, where for three 
years he was engaged in placer mining, on his 
own account, with good results. He then de- 
cided to visit his parents in Iowa, so returned 
via the Panama route. 

After his arrival in Iowa, he followed lead 
mining in that countrv, until 1864, when the 
attractions of the Pacific Coast country again 
induced him to cross the plains. This time he 
came via Salt Lake and the "Oregon trail," 
and settling in the Walla Walla valley, pur- 



454 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



chased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres 
below the army post and witliin a mile of the 
city of Walla Walla. ^Ir. Thompson lived on 
this farm for seventeen years, then sold out and 
removed into the town, building for himself 
and family a cozy home at Xo. 630 South 
Ninth street, where they have since resided. ]\lr. 
Thompson has always manifested a deep inter- 
est in the public schools and was school clerk 
of his district for several years, in that and 
other ways aiding largely in the creation of 
the present splendid school system of Walla 
Walla. 

]Mr. Thompson was married in Dubuque. 
Iowa. April 19, i860, to Miss ]\LTry H. ]\Ial- 
low, who was born in New Madrid county, 
Missouri, and has accompanied her husband 
in all of his travels since their marriage, cross- 
ing the plains with him in 1864. They have 
four children living: Sarah E., wife of James 
Johnson, of Caldwell, Idaho; Emma J., wife 
of Marshall J. Lowden. a farmer on lower 
Dry creek; Esther J.; George H., a resident 
of Walla Walla; also Alary C. deceased. Mr. 
Thompson and wife are members of the Con- 
gregational church of \^'alla Walla. 



CHARLES B. RICHARDSON, a car- 
penter and builder at Waitsburg, is a pioneer 
of 1874. He was born in Maine in Decem- 
ber, 1854, and remained in the Pine Tree 
state until eighteen years old, acquiring a 
public-school education and also learning the 
trade of carpenter. In 1872 he came to Cali- 
fornia, and, settling in San Francisco, began 
the pursuit of his handicraft there. After re- 
maining two years he moved north to Tacoma 
to become one of the builders for the Northern 
Pacific Railroad Company, by which he was 



employed steadily for several years. He after- 
wards worked for the Oregon Railway & 
Navigation Company, helping to build their 
road from ^^'allula Junction to Dayton. 

Quitting their service in 1881, Mr. Rich- 
ardson came direct to \\'aitsburg, bought a 
quarter section four miles west of the town 
and began farming. But. though he was a 
farmer for three years, he did not give up 
his trade entirely, but worked at it betimes, 
erecting the public school building and many 
other of the finest structures in the town. 
For several years he has followed his handi- 
craft exclusively, having sold his farm in 1884. 

Air. Richardson enjoys an enviable stand- 
ing in the city with which he has been identi- 
fied so long and in which he has ever taken a 
deep interest. He v.as once called upon to 
represent his district in the city council, and 
while in that office he used all the power that 
was vested in him for what his judgment told 
him was for the highest welfare of the town. 
In the state of Michigan, on October 15. 1884, 
Mr. Richardson married Aliss Martha E. 
Towsley, a native of Alichigan, born April 6, 
1861. Airs. Richardson is one of the leading 
ladies in her neighborhood, and for fifteen 
years was a successful milliner here. She is 
affiliated with the Artisans, and the \\'omen 
of Woodcraft, and Air. Richardson is identi- 
fied with the Ancient Order of United ^^'ork- 
men and the \\'oodnien of the World. The 
family live in an elegant home of their own 
in Waitsburg. 



JOHN P. SEITZ, a farmer near Walla 
Walla, is a native of Germany, born in 1826. 
He spent his early youth in the land of his 
nativity, receiving a common-school educa- 
tion, but when nineteen years old emigrated to 



HISTORY OF WALLA \\ALLA COUNTY. 



45: 



America. He locatej first in Xew Orleans, 
where for a brief period he followed the trade 
of a blacksmith. Subsequently, however, he 
came north to Illinois, and worked at his han- 
dicraft there for two years longer. Thence 
he went to Gentry county, Missouri, where 
the ensuing fourteen years of his life were 
passed. He afterwards moved to Jackson 
county, in the same state, and farmed there 
uninterruptedly for twenty years. 

Mr. Seitz then came out to \\'alla Walla, 
arriving in 1887, and settled first on Birch 
creek, but before long he negotiated the pur- 
chase of a three-hundred-and-twent_\--acre farm 
three and a half miles southeast of Walla 
Walla, and upon this he has ever since lived. 
He is engaged principally in the production 
of wheat and alfalfa. He is one of the most 
highly esteemed men in his community, and 
enjoys the confidence and good will of all his 
neighbors. In 1867, while still in the state of 
^Missouri, he was married to Aliss Lydia 
Chambers, a native of that state, and they have 
three children, namely: James P.; George G. ; 
and ]\Iinnie, now ]\Irs. John C. ^Martin. 



CHARLES W. PHILLIPS, a florist and 
nurseryman of Walla Walla, is a son of Will- 
iam and Pauline (Roland) Phillips. He was 
born in Salem, Oregon, May 27, 1855, and 
at the age of five years was brought by his 
parents to Walla \\'alla, where he grew to 
manhood and has since resided. He was edu- 
cated in Whitman Seminary and later attended 
the Bishop Scott Grammar School, of Port- 
land, Oregon, where he took a preparatory 
course with the intention of entering Yale 
College, but was prevented from doing so by 



his father's sickness and death. He finished 
his education in 1873. 

After his father's death J\Ir. Phillips as- 
sisted his mother in managing the deceased's 
estate until 1881, but he then engaged in the 
hardware business in La Grande and Island 
City, Union county, Oregon, in which he con- 
tinued four years. Selling out then, he re- 
turned to \\'alla Walla, where he entered into 
the business of landscape gardening and 
floriculture, an indu-try which he has fol- 
lowed ever since. He has splendid green 
houses, a large garden and several acres 
of ornamental nursery stock. He has re- 
cently shipped very largely from Port- 
land and has the largest florist establish- 
ment in the county. He has done all of the 
landscape gardening for the finest hd^nes in 
the city and adjoining towns, and will have 
charge of lay.'ng oft and ornamenting the city 
park. 

iMr. Phillips was married at Aleacham 
Toll Gate, in the Blue Mountains, to Miss 
Xellie S. Rockfellovv', a native of Oregon, and 
they now have eight children, William R., 
Charles F., Pauline, Harriet, Edgar H., Es- 
ther F., Richard B. and Rodney },I. The six 
older ones are in school in Walla Walla. iMr. 
Phillips and his entire family are members of 
St. Paul's Episcopal church, of Walla Walla. 

In the Xez Perce Indian war of 1877 Mr. 
Phillips and his brother Frank E. were scouts 
and couriers under General O. O. Howard. 
They ne\er failed in a mission or received a 
wound, which speaks well for their knowledge 
of the country and of Indian character and 
methods of warfare. iMr. Phillips was one 
of the first to respond to Goverr.or Ferry's 
call for volunteers in 1878, after the beginning 
of the Bannock war. He was a member of 
the company of volunteers commanded by 



456 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Captain Cliarles Painter, which, togetiier witli 
a company of regulars under Major Cress, pa- 
trolled the Columbia ri\er and repeatedly pre- 
venteil the Indians from crossing the river 
from the south, joining Chief Moses' band 
and getting into BriLish territory. They had 
several severe engagements with the Indians, 
cai)turing their horses and dri\'ing them back 
isouth, where they were finally captured. 

Mr. Phillips decorated the Spokane Indus- 
trial Exposition in 1899 with fruits, grains 
and grasses. He gathered and arranged the 
Walla Walla county exhibit for the Paris Ex- 
position in 1900, and is to furnish the fruits, 
grasses and grains for the Pan-American Ex- 
position in Buffalo, New York, in 1901. He 
also gathered the county exhiljit wliich at- 
tractsd'so much attenti(.)n at the XWirld's Fair 
in Chicago in 1893, and is acknowledged to 
be one of the most thorough antl relial)le men 
in that line in this country. 

Mr. Phillips will soon have published a 
book of poems whicli he has compileil under 
the iioiii cic phiDic of Jo Keon, and on which 
he has the endorsement of Joaquin Miller, 
who recently \-ijited him in his home and read 
his work. 

The father of our subject was one of 
Walla Walla's most respected and progressive 
citizens, arriving as early as i860, when he 
engaged in the hardware business. In 1865 
he built the Walla Walla foundry and machine 
shops, which he operated in connection with 
his hardware business until the time of his 
death. He also had branch hardware stores 
in Bannock City and Placerville. Idaho, where 
he did a lucrative business with the mines. 
He was frecjuently urged to accept official po- 
sition, but always refused. He was always 
liberal in his gifts to all worth}^ enterprises, 
both religious and charitable, and was noted 



for his broad-minded public spirit. His death 
occurred IMarch 2, 1873, and Walla Walla 
then lost one of her most enterprising, far- 
seeing and worthy citizens, and one who had 
friends among all, enemies among none ex- 
cept the lawless element which he was always 
active in suppressing. 



RE\'. OBADIAH OSBORX, a preacher 
ar.d farmer, residing seven miles northwest of 
Walla Walla, on Dry creek, was born in Exe- 
ter, Scott countv. lllinc;is. in 1835. He ac- 
cjuired his early education in the ])ublic schools 
of his native town, where the first S2venteen 
years of his life were spent. In 1852 he crossed 
the plains with ox-teams to the Willamette val- 
ley, and there the ensuing thirteen years of his 
life were passed. He spent two years in Will- 
amette L'niversity as a student and two in the 
ministry, but the remainder of the time was 
de\'nte<I to farming. 

\\'hen. in 1865, our sul)ject came to ^\'alla 
\\'alla \alley he did so for the purpose of taking 
charge of a circuit as its pastor, and he has 
preached a great deal of the time since. He 
now has charge of the Lnited Brethren work 
in Walla Walla and at other places through- 
out the county, but such is his capacity for 
labor that he is also able to supervise bis mam- 
n'oth farm, and to take a lively interest and a 
leading ]Kirt in political campaigns. In 1869 
he purchased four hundretl acres between Mill 
creek and Russell creek, also added one hun- 
dred and twenty acres to a tract he had pre- 
viously bought in Oregon, a short distance 
southeast of Walla Walla. These interests he 
sold in 1875. only to [lurchase a fi\e-hundred- 
and-twenty-acre tract where his place of resi- 
dence now is. He has bought adjoining places 




OBADIAH OSBORN 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



457 



from time to time until he is now the owner of 
one thousand six hundred and eighty acres. 
For years he has liantlled a large number of 
horses, and at present he has about two hun- 
.dred head, besides one hundred and fifty head 
of cattle. 

Few men in the county have manifested 
their interest in the pubhc weal in so many 
A\ays. Mr. Osborn has been for years a leader 
in politics, in religion and in the material de- 
velopment of the county. For two terms he 
served his denomination in the capacity of pre- 
siding elder, and twice he stumped the county 
in political campaigns. Once he was the can- 
didate of his party for the legislature, but was 
defeated. And with all these interests he has 
yet found time for local duties such as serving 
as road supervisor, etc. 

Mr. Osborn has been twice married. In 
1857. in the state of Oregon, he wedded Sarah 
Ann McCain, who died in 1859. Of this union 
one child was born, but it died when only nine 
m.onths old. In 1864 he was again married, 
the lady being Mary C. !Ma\-field. a native of 
Tennessee, who crossed the plains in 1862, and 
they have one child. Dollie Frances, now Mrs. 
Charles I. Dean. 



WOODSOX CUMMIXS. a farmer and 
stock raiser two miles west of Touchet, a pio- 
neer of 1862, was born in Iowa July 6. 1855. 
He was. however, practically reared in the 
northwest, having been brought here by his 
parents when only seven years old. His first 
home in the new country- was located seven 
miles southeast of Walla Walla, where his 
father was engaged in farming and stock rais- 
ing until 1870. iMr. Cummins received the 
advantages of the local public schools, then 



engaged in farming, an occupation which he 
has followed exclusively since, though he is 
also the owner of a store in Touchet. 

When he was about fifteen years old his 
father and family left their original abiding 
place and procured land in the vicinity of 
Touchet, where iMr. Cummins now lives, and 
has lived ever since except for a period of 
three years spent in Oregon. He is now the 
owner of the old home place of six hundred 
and forty acres, besides considerable other 
land in the county. He is unquestionably one 
of the verj- best and most prosperous farmers 
in the valley, and evidences of his thrift and 
energy- are everywhere to be seen about his 
premises. He has a fine dwelling house and 
commodious and capacious barns and outbuild- 
ings, and a goodly supply of machiner}- and 
implements essential to convenient and suc- 
cessful farming. He keeps about sixty head 
of cattle, but makes a specialty of producing 
alfalfa hay, fourteen car-loads of which he 
this year ( 1900) shipped to Idaho. 

'Sir. Cummins has always taken an active 
interest in the affairs of the county, and is ever 
read}- to exert his infiuence for what he deems 
the best interests of the general public. He 
was married in Union county, Oregon, Sep- 
tember 12, 1880, to Z\Iiss J. J. Weaver, a na- 
tive of Missouri, whose father was one of the 
earliest settlers on the Touchet river, near 
Waitsburg. They have five children, Hettie 
J., Clarence E., Walter R.. Lela M. and El- 
mer R. 



WILLIA:M p. RESER. a farmer four 
miles southeast of Walla Walla, was born in 
Quincy, Illinois, in 1843. \\'hen two years old 
he was taken by. his parents to Missouri, 
where he grew to man's estate and received 



458 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



his education. In 1863 lie crossed the plains 
to Walla Walla, making the six months' trip 
in the customary prnnitive fashion of that 
period, and for ten or twelve years after his 
arrival he followed the dual occupation of 
farming and freighting. He then devoted his 
energies to farming and sheep raising, in which 
two industries he lias heen employed ever 
since. In 1867 he homesteaded one hundred 
and sixty acres, where he now resides, and to 
this he has been adding at different times since 
until he now has a tract of si.xteen hundred 
and twenty acres, on which he is raising wheat 
and barley principally, though he also keeps 
about one hundred h^^ad of cattle and one hun- 
dred and fifty head of horses. He also has 
ten thousand sheep, which he pastures on the 
Touchet and Snake rivers, on each of which 
he has about seven thousand acres of land. 
He is also the owner of about six thousand 
acres of mountain land in Umatilla county, 
Oregon, where he summers his flocks. 

^Ir. Reser is one of the most thrifty and 
progressive farmers of the county, and one 
Avho has contributed no small share to the in- 
dustrial development of this portion of the In- 
land Empire. He has also for many years 
taken a leading part in the political cam- 
paigns of the county and state, and ranks as 
one of the representative men of his party. 
He served one term as county commissioner, 
and in the campaign of 1900 was the nomi- 
nee of the Democrats for the state senator- 
ship, to which he was elected with a plurality 
of about five hundred votes, winning the dis- 
tinction of being the only Democrat in the 
county successful in the last campaign. 

Mr. Reser married, in Missouri, in 1863, 
Miss Emma Gray, who died Jilay 16, 1895, 
leaving four children: Clara; Annie; Frank, 
who died August 28, 1896; and Philip. He 



was married again in L'matilla county, Ore- 
gon, in 1897, to Miss Linda Davis, a mem- 
ber of a pioneer family of this county, and 
to them has been born one child, Bvron. 



:MRS. ANNIE McC. MIX.— In the com- 
pilation of the biographical department of this 
history of Walla Walla county there is manifest 
propriety in incorporating a review of the life 
of Mrs. Mix, who is one of the honored pio- 
neers of the city of Walla Walla an^I the widow 
of one who was for many years one of the 
representative citizens of this place, wliere his 
demise occurred. Mrs. Mix, whose maiden 
name was Anna Dwight. was born in t'.ie famed 
old Crescent city. Xew Orleans, Louisiana, 
in the year 1831. At the age of six years she 
entered the excellent school at Bethlehem, 
Louisiana, where she continued her studies for 
about six years, after which she returned to 
her home, and th.ere continued her educational 
discipline under most favorable auspices. 

There also, in the year 1849, ^^''^s solem- 
nized her marriage to James D. Mix, who was 
born in Georgetown, \^irginia, in 18 18, being, 
like his wife, a representative of sterling old 
southern families. He accompanied his parents 
b) New Orleans in his early cliildhood, and 
there he was reared and educated, preparing 
himself for the legal profession and engaging 
in the practice of law in New Orleans until 
he had attained the age of thirty years. Dur- 
ing the Mexican war he was engaged in con- 
tracting in that country, being successful in his 
efforts along this line. At the cl -se of hostil- 
ities he returned to New Orleans, where he was 
married and where he remained four years, 
alter which, in company with his wife, he made 
the long journey to San Francisco, California, 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



459 



by tlie isthmus route, the vessel landing at the 
Golden Gate in due course of time, the date 
of arrixal in the new Eldorado being about 
May, 1854, this being at a time when the gold 
excitement was still at its height. 

j\lr. Mix was engaged in the practice of his 
profession in San Francisco for a period of 
two years, after which he removed to Shasta, 
that state, where he was in practice for a num- 
ber of years, being one of the leading attorneys 
and representative citizens of the locality and 
being accorded marked preferment in the gift 
of the public, having served in the offices of dis- 
trict attorney and pri_>bate judge. 

In the year 1863 j\lr. and Mrs. Mix be- 
came residents of Walla ^Valla. with whose 
history both were destined to be conspicuously 
identified, aiding materially in its progress and 
material upbuilding. Here Mr. Mix remained 
until the hour of his death, which occurred on 
the 6th of June, 1S81. He was a man of 
marked ability and distinct individuality, im- 
pressing himself upon the community and gain- 
ing precedence in public affairs and in the work 
of his profession. He was for many years one 
of the leading members of the Democratic party 
in the territory, being frequently the standard- 
bearer of the same. He was twice a member 
of the territorial legislature, and in 1870 was 
the Democratic nominee for delegate to con- 
gress, his defeat being primarily due to the 
opposition of the citizens of the Puget Sound 
district, who spared no effort to elect a candi- 
date of their own section for many years, 
as is previously noted. Mr. Mix also served 
a^ city attorney and as a member of the city 
council of Walla Walla, and after his term had 
expired in tlie latter office he became extensively 
engaged in farming and stock-raising, having 
become the owner of much valuable agricultural 
land in the vicinity of his home. He left to 



his family a very comfortable competency and 
the heritage of a good name. 

To Mr. and Mrs. Mix three children were 
born, — Sallie, wlm is now the wife of Major 
O. I. Converse ; and William A. and Stonewall 
\V., who are largely interested in mining op- 
erations. Mrs. ^lix still retains her residence 
ir. the attracti\-e family home in W'alla Walla, 
where a gracious hosiiitality has ever been ex- 
tended, and over which she has presided with 
grace and dignity for a long term of years. She 
owns much valuable realty in Walla Walla, 
including a business block at the corner of 
Birch and Second streets, and the Palace Hotel 
property, a substantial brick building of mod- 
ern architectural design. She is well known 
and highly esteemed in the city where so manv 
years of her life have been passed, and, while 
a true daug'hter of the sunny south, her deepest 
and most hallowed memories cluster about the 
old home here. In an incidental way it is 
interesting to recall the fact that Mrs. Mix 
had the distinction of being the owner of the 
first family sewing machine bruuglit into the 
citv of San Francisco. 



A. J. FIX, a pioneer of the west of 1857, 
at present a farmer li\ing four and a half miles 
southeast of Walla Walla, is a native of Ohio, 
born in 1840. He ^as, however, reared and 
educated in Claire county, Illinois, whither he 
was taken by his parents when five years old. 
In March, 1857, he started across the plains 
to the west, traveling with ox-teams. He 
stopped a brief period in Li\ingston county, 
Missouri, but in May set out again, making 
the journey without casualties, though a train 
only six miles ahead oi him was massacred, 
only three persons escaping alive, and one of 
these, a woman, had been scalped. 



460 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Mr. Fix remained a while in California, 
then came north to Hillsboro, Oregon, where 
for tiie ensuing four years he was engaged in 
farming. In 1862 he made a trip into the 
Florence mining region, in Idaho, but returned 
in time to pass the winter in Hillsboro. Dur- 
ing the summer of 1863. however, he came 
to Walla Walla county, whence, for the next 
three or four years, he made freighting trips 
to different outlying districts. In 1865 he 
took a pre-emption near Dixie, and this was 
his home till the spring of 1890, when he pur- 
chased a four-hundred-and-eighty-acre farm 
near Walla Walla, and began farming there. 
He is a thrifty, progressive man, and one of 
the most enterprising farmers in his section. 
He is also a thresherman, and keeps a machine 
at work on his own wheat and that of his 
neighbors during the harvest season. Public- 
spirited and ever ready to contribute his mite 
to the general welfare, he has served for sev- 
eral years as road supervisor and as a member 
of the board of school trustees. 

Mr. Fix was married in Walla Walla 
county in the fall of 1866, to Xancy M. San- 
ders, a native of Indiana, and a pioneer of 
1865. They have had eight children : Roder- 
ick R., deceased; Wayne W. ; Arminda L. ; 
Milam R., deceased; Weldon T. ; Maude; Ma- 
bel, deceased; and Take E. 



JOHN SIXGLETOX, now deceased, was 
a pioneer of the Walla Walla valley, coming 
here in 1857. He was born in county Cork, 
Ireland, in 1824, and received a private-school 
education. April 22. 1S47, '" Queen's county, 
Ireland, he married Miss Frances Jane Gowan. 
and in 1849 they came to America and settled 



in New York. He at once enlisted in the 
L'nited States army and was sent to Texas as 
quartermaster's clerk .under Major Belger. 
The command was stationed in the Alamo, at 
San Antonio, Texas, his office being in the very 
room where Colonel Davie Crockett was killed. 
He remained in Texas in the United States 
service six years, then was discharged and re- 
turned to Washington, D. C-, where he served 
for six months as a clerk in iht old arsenal. 

Mr. Singleton then went to Baltimore, and 
in 1856 again enlisted for service on the Pa- 
cific coast, believing the change would benefit 
hiis failing health. He came via Panama to 
\ ancouver, where he was stationed ten months. 
His company afterwards took part in the war 
against the Yakima Indians and had several 
sharp engagements with them in the Cascade 
mountains. The whites were led by Captain 
Winder and the Indians by Chief Camiachan. 
After subduing the Indians, Captain Winder's 
command built a fort and remained in the Cas- 
cades about a year, afterwards being trans- 
ferred to The Dalles. Oregon, and thence in the 
spring of 1857 to Fort Walla Walla. Here 
iMr. Singleton remained in the service until 
1 86 1, when he was honorably discharged. 

While he was serving as a soldier here the 
Indians of several tribes joined in their hostile 
efforts to prevent Captain iMullen opening an 
emigrant and military road across the Rocky 
and Coeur d'Alene mountains to the Columbia 
nver. Mr. Singleton was in the command of 
Colonel Steptoe which met the allied savages 
in the memorable engagement of Steptoe Butte, 
which lasted several days. The whites, being 
largely outnumbered, suffered a disastrous de- 
feat and were driven back to the Snake river in 
great disorder. In this engagement Mr. Single- 
ton had a very narrow escape from death. He 
became separated from his comrades, in the re- 




JOHN SINGLETON 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



461 



treat, and after wandering aronnd nearly all 
night came npon a squad of friendly Nez Perce 
Lidians, who conducted him to the Clearwater 
river, ferried him across and directed him to 
the camp of his company, who had reported 
him to his wife as dead. Colonel Wright soon 
came up from The Dalles with a thousand 
men and, reinforced by the troops at Walla 
Walla, began an active campaign against the 
Indians. In a short time he had scattered, cap- 
tured or killed the entire force. Some were 
hanged in the mountains, but the most noted 
leaders were brought to Walla Walla, where 
seven of them were hanged in public in the 
rear of the garrison. During his service in 
Fort \Willa Walla Air. Singleton did most of 
the work of keeping the records of the post, in 
the performance of which duty he was com- 
pelled to use the old-fashioned ([uill pen. 

Mrs. Singleton had purchased a squatter's 
right of Captain Pierce, and to this, on being 
discharged fronn the army, Mr. Singleton re- 
paired. We may mention that the money re- 
ceived for this right by Captain Pierce enabled 
him to open the Oro Fino mining district, of 
which he was the first prospector. Mr. Single- 
ton died on the farm December 28, 1893, but 
Mrs. Singleton still resides on the old home 
place, which is now within the city limits of 
Walla Walla. She is seventy-four years of 
age, but has the clear mind and vivid memory 
of a person many years younger. Six chil- 
dren were born in the Singleton home : Cath- 
erine, widow of Thomas Tierney, and a resi- 
dent of San Francisco; Frank E. ; William H., 
deceased; Elizabeth; Eudora M., a comixjsitor 
on the La Grande Sentinel; Esther Belle, wife 
of J. W. Brooks, an attorney of Walla \\'alla. 
Mr. and Mrs. Singleton always held to the 
Catholic faith. 



OLIVER DE WITT.— It is hardly possi- 
ble to overestimate the magnanimity, force of 
character and wealth of worth which have made 
the pioneers of Walla Walla county, taken as 
a class, the recipients of the esteem and honor 
of all in whose bosoms a sincere love for the 
heroic finds lodgment. Possessed of all the 
characteristics which made the Puritan fa- 
mous, except the deep-seated religious fervor, 
and not wholly devoid of that, they were su- 
perior to that honored race in the breadth of 
their sympathies and charity. 

To affirm, therefore, that our subject was 
a pioneer and that a very early one, is in itself 
almost equivalent to an assertion of his strength 
of purpose, integrity and real grandeur of char- 
acter, it being only necessary to add that the 
gentleman in question is a worthy representa- 
tive of the honored class to which he belongs. 

Mr. Dewitt made his ad\ent onto the stage 
of this life in the good old state of Ohio, the 
date of his birth being Jantiary 7, 1847, but 
shortly after his fifth year had been completed 
he was removed by his parents to Iowa, in 
which commonwealth he received his educa- 
tional discipline. When only seventeen years 
old a desire to try his fortunes in the west 
took hold of his being, and on the anniver- 
sary of the nation's Ijirth, 1864, we find him 
in Walla Walla valley, ha\-ing traversed the 
trail of many moons behind a pair of patient 
oxen. His first home in the county was at a 
point about six miles nearly due w-est of Walla 
Walla, and the first industry which engaged 
his energies was freighting, a business which 
he followed uninterruptedly until 1S78. He 
then decided to try a line of enterprise which 
would allow him to enjoy the comforts of 
home life, so turned his attention to farming 
and stock raising. He purchased a tract of 



462 



HISIOKY OF WALLA WALLA COLXTY. 



land al)out eight miles north of the county 
seat, to wliich he has added betimes since 
until he is now the possessor of a fine farm of 
fi\e hundred acres. His industry and energy 
have worked out for him an abundant indus- 
trial success, his property interests including 
not only his farm, but considerable city realty 
and a share in more than one of cur most 
promising mines. 

]\Ir. Dewitt has been .several times called 
upon to perform the duties of local and county 
offices, and in 1887 the electors of the county 
testified to the confidence and esteem in which 
they held him by nominating him as their 
representati\-e to the territorial legislature. 

In his fraternal affiliations he is identified 
with Washington Lodge, No. 19, L O. O. F., 
on whose charter his name may be found. 

On Alay 31, 1874, in the city of Walla 
^Valla, i\Ir. Dewitt was married, the lady who 
became his wife being iMiss America A. Roft, 
a native of iNIissouri. The issue of their union 
is four children, namely: Ella, wife of G. E. 
Hobbs; Harry E., in Umatilla county, Ore- 
gon; Arthur C. ; and Essie R., wife of Clifford 
Hughes, of ^^'alla Walla. The family reside 
in a comfortable and elegantly furnished home 
at 601 East Sumach street. Mr. and iNIrs. 
Dewitt affiliate with the Methodist Episcopal 
church of Walla \\'al]a. 



REV. P. B. CHAiNIBERLAIN, deceased, 
one of the earliest pioneer missionaries of the 
coast, was born in Earre, Vermont, October 
16, 1824. He attended the public schools of 
iiis native town and later the academic school 
at Derby, ^'ermont, receiving his professional 
training in the theological seminary of Ban- 
gor, iMaine, from which institution he grad- 



uated in 1855. He began his ministerial labors 
in Oregon as a home missionary of the Con- 
gregational churches, having come to the Pa- 
cific coast via Panama in the fall of 1855. 

Taking charge of the First Congregational 
church of Portland, Mr. Chamberlain contin- 
ued to serve as its pastor for the ensuing eight 
years, then, after traveling and teaching for 
about a twelvemonth, he came to Walla Walla, 
where he set vigorously to work to establish 
a church. He erected, entirely at his own ex- 
pense, a building suitable in every respect for 
a place of worship, but it was destroyed by 
fire in 1866. The citizens of Walla Walla 
tlien built the present church and presented it 
to him, but he afterwards deeded it over to 
the Congregational Association. 

For sixteen years our subject labored faith- 
fully and zealously for the spiritual and moral 
elevation of ^^"alla \\'alla, and the good that 
he has done can never be fully known this side 
the great beyond. On October 31, 1889, he 
was called to his reward. 

Mr. Cfiamberlain was married in Derby, 
^'ermont, ^n August 16, 1855, to Miss Alice 
E. Abbott, a native of Hatley, Quebec. They 
became parents of four children: Alice C, 
wife of Ira Small, a farmer near Lewiston; 
Felicia li., wife of Dr. A. L. Willis, of Walla 
Walla; Mary E., a graduate of Whitman Col- 
lege and a teacher; and Edward P., deceased. 

i\Irs. Chamberlain was herself a very prom- 
inent missionary lad_\- in pioneer days. She 
was brought from her native province to Der- 
by, Vermont, while quite young, her parents 
desiring to get away from the Canadian re- 
bellion of 1837, and she became a schoolmate of 
:\Ir. Chamberlain's at Derby, Vermont. After 
completing her course there she taught in 
Vermont and New Hampshire about eight 
vears.- She and iMr. Chamberlain started for 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



463 



Purtland on their wedding day, and she shared 
his journeys and his lahors thenceforth to the 
time pf his death. 

Finding no schools in ^\'a^a \\'alla at the 
time of their arrival, Mrs. Chamberlain at 
once prepared to educate her own children at 
home, and the residents, learning of this, de- 
isired her to do what she could for some of 
theirs also. Soon the attendance became so 
large that a more commodious buildaig was 
required, and they removed to the church, 
which had been so constructed that it could be 
used for school purposes also without incon- 
venience. After the fire, above referred to, 
the school was conducted in the building in 
which j\lrs. Chamberlain now resides, until 
eventually removed to the building on Whit- 
man College grounds, now known as "Ladies' 
Hall." 

After its removal the school was named 
for the first time, its appellation being Whit- 
man Seminary. The Rev. P. B. Chamber- 
lain was its first superintendent, and iSIrs. 
Chamberlain was one of its first teachers. 
They watched over the infant institution care- 
fully, guarding it as a tender plant, until some 
of its most trying times were passed, then 
turned it over to Father Fells. This is in 
jjrief the origin of the now far-famed Whit- 
man College. Mrs. Chamberlain is certainly 
to be congratulated on the grand results which 
have followed from her humble efforts to "do 
what she could." 



JOHX L. RESER, deceased, a pioneer of 
1863, was born in the state of New York in 
1823. He was early taken to Michigan, in 
which state and in Illinois he was reared and 
educated. In 1845 he removed to Missouri, 
and he was engaged in farming in that state 



until, in 1863, he started across the plains to 
Walla Walla county, during which trip he 
lost his daughter, Mary, on the North Platte 
river. He took a homestead here and again 
began farming, but did not, however, devote 
his entire time to that pursuit, giving much 
attention to other duties. An intensely philan- 
thropic man, he labored with might and main 
for the good of his fellows, taking a very active 
interest in church and educational work. Dur- 
ing a part of his time he was a local preacher, 
and part of the time he traveled in the same 
calling. For several years he was county su- 
perintendent of schools, and discharged the 
duties of that office with characteristic faith- 
fulness and ability. 

Mr. Reser was married in Illinois in 1841, 
to Miss Clarisa Callaway, a native of Mary- 
land, and they became parents of thirteen chil- 
dren, namely: \\'illiam, Leah Ann, Elvira, 
Susan, Henry, Louisa, Augusta, Edward L., 
James, Julia, Mary, John and Laura. Of these 
Susan, James and Laura are buried in Walla 
Walla, Elvira at Kingston, Missouri, and 
Henry at Memphis, IMissouri. Mary, as above 
stated, died on the trip across the plains, and 
the remainder of the children are still living. 
Mr. and Mrs. Reser sleep in the ^^'alla ^^'alla 
cemetery. 



EDGAR A. DORRIS, a pioneer of 1878. 
was born in Illinois May 2, 1862. He lived 
there seven years, then resided in Kansas and 
Missouri until 1878, when he started across 
the plains with teams to Washington. His 
party was surrounded by Indians on the Snake 
ri\er and besieged for a month. After relief 
arrived Mr. Dorris came to Walla Walla, 
where he worked on a farm for ^^^ P. Sturgis, 
Tom Evans and Mr. Jones for two and a half 



464 



1-IISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



years. He afterwards engaged in farming 
for himself, near by, following that occu- 
pation uninterruptedly until 1891, when he 
removed to the Palouse country. He 
farmed there two years, then went to 
Harrison, Idaho, to become engineer of a 
saw-mill in that town. He was in the 
lumbering industry until 1S96, when he came 
to Walla Walla again and turned his at- 
tention to railroading. For a short time he 
w-as one of the partners in the Fourth street 
fish and poultry market. 

]\Ir. Dorris is a man of enterprise and 
ability, and possesses the faculty of succeed- 
ing in whatever he undertakes. He is quite 
a lodge man, being connected with both the 
M. \W. A. and the L O. R. M. On Decem- 
ber 25, 1887, he w-as married in Walla Walla 
to Miss Leola Estoup, a native of Umatilla 
county, Oregon, whose father, Mitchell Estoup, 
came west in an early day as a member of the 
American Fur Company. Mr. and Mrs. Dorris 
are parents of five children, Ida L., Rena A.. 
Elzata, Alice and Oscar L. Mrs. Dorris' 
father is a native of France, about sixty-seven 
years of age. 



SERGEANT JOHN C. SMITH, farmer, 
a very early pioneer of the w'est, was born in 
New- Jersey, in i8j8, and in that state the tirst 
eighteen years of his life were passed and ais 
education obtained. In 1846 he sailed with his 
uncle, an employee of the American Fur Com- 
pany, to the Pacific coast. He lived in Cali- 
fornia for a time, but in 184S he came north 
to Oregon, whence he soon departed into the 
mining region of California again. He was 
there until 1850, reaping very rich harvests, and 
making money at times with well nigh in- 
credible rapidity. 



Returning to Oregon Sergeant Smith en- 
gaged in raising horses and cattle, but, in 1853, 
he removed to Walla Walla, where he con- 
tinued his former business of rearing mules, 
cattle and horses. He purchased land in this 
vicinity, and now owns six hundred or seven 
hundred acres. Of late years he has given his 
attention to raising wheat and hay mostly, 
though he still raises some stock, especially 
thoroughbreds. He has long been a prominent 
man in the county, working earnestly for its 
welfare, and twice representing it in the legis- 
lature. Indeed, he was one of the men to 
whom Walla Walla county owes its organiza- 
tion. 

Being so long a resident on the Pacific 
coast he has, as we might expect, experienced 
his share of Indian warfare. He participated 
ill the Rogue river and Kayouse wars, earn- 
ing the title of sergeant in the latter struggle. 
Prominent alike in peace and war, in the days 
\\iien the country was in a state of barbarism 
and in the days since civilization has brought 
its blessings to the wild west, Mr. Smith de- 
serves and receives the applause and good will 
of the country he has so efficiently helped to 
redeem. 

In fraternal affiliations our subject is identi- 
fied with the Oregon Pioneer Association, and 
with the Indian War Veterans. He married, 
in Walla Walla, in 1865, Amanda Sheets, also 
a pioneer of a very early date, and they have 
eight children,— John A.. Delia, Marguerite, 
Edward, Mabel, Bessie, Hattie and Genie. 



JONATHAN PETTYJOHN.— This ven- 
erable pioneer and respected and influential 
citizen of Walla Walla county was born in 
Ohio in 1827. He lived there until ten years 



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HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



465 



old, tlien acconipanieil the remainder of tlic 
family to Illinois, where he remained until 
1849. In that year he moved further west, 
and the following- year he came on to Cali- 
fornia, crossing the plains by ox-teams. After 
residing in the Golden state for a twelvemonth, 
he came north to Oregon, whence, in 1859, he 
removed to Prescott, Washington, where his 
home has ever since been. He homesteaded 
a quarter section of land, also availed himself 
of his pre-emption and timber culture rights, 
securing by this means four hundred and 
eighty acres from the govcrniuent. 

By making good and skillful use of the 
land thus acquired, he so augmented his wealth 
as to enable him to purchase more, and he kept 
adding to his holdings from time to time un- 
til he liecanie the owner of a mammoth three- 
thousand-acre farm. Unlike many Walla Walla 
county ranchmen, he has given little or no 
attention to wheat culture, confining his atten- 
tion almost entirely to the more attractive and 
under favorable circumstances more lucrative 
business of rearing cattle and horses. In this 
industry he has been unusually successful. 

In the early days it was quite common for 
Indian scares to spring up in different parts of 
the valley, and the thoroughly terrified people 
would leave their homes and farms and fly 
for refuge to Walla Walla, remaining until 
the real or imaginary war-clouds had cleared 
away. At all such times. Air. Pettyjohn and 
his family were among the few who refused to 
become refugees until they were sure that the 
necessity for flight existed, and the fact that 
they are alive and well to-day is pretty good 
evidence that they were never seriously .mis- 
taken in their reading of Indian character and 
their penetration of Indian intentions. 

While Mr. Pettyjohn has not been as active 
as some in political matters, he has sometimes 

30 



assumed the role of political leadership, and at 
such times has exhibitetl rare sagacity, acumea 
and skill. He was once the nominee of his 
party for representative in the territorial legis- 
lature, but was not on the victorious side. At 
one time also he held the important local office 
of justice of the peace. It may be of interest 
to mention in this connection as indicating the- 
extent of our subject's connection with Pacific 
Coast matters, that he three times voted on the 
question of adopting or rejecting constitu- 
tions for proposed new states, in each instance 
voting in the affirmative, the constitutions of 
California, Oregon and Washington all being 
recipients of his support at the polls. Mr. 
Pettyjohn gave evidence of his public-spirit 
and interest in what he concei\-ed to be for 
the general welfare, by suing out an injunction 
restraining the county commissioners from vot- 
ing a bonus of three hundred thousand dollars 
to a proposed new railroad, and he proved to 
all who are cognizant of the facts in the case- 
that he is a man who "stands four S(|uare to- 
every wind" by refusing a large sum offered' 
as a species of bribe to induce him to raise the- 
injunction. 

In 1853 was solemnized the marriage of 
our subject and ^liss Hannah Warner, a na- 
tive of Indiana. Mrs. Pettyjohn died in Janu- 
ary, 1892, after having borne him eight chil- 
dren, seven sons and one daughter. 



BREWSTER FERREL, a pioneer of 
1864, was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, 
.\ugust 22, 1838. When quite young he was 
taken by his parents to Athens county, where 
he took the initial step in his education. In 
1853 the fainily removed to Wayne county, 
Iowa, and here Mr. Ferrel completed his com- 



^66 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



iiion-school course. On attaining liis majority 
he engaged in farming on his own account, 
following that occupation there until twenty- 
live years of age. 

Coming then across the plains to Walla 
Walla county. Mr. Ferrel homesteaded one 
lumdred and sixty acres of land eight miles 
east of town on Russell creek, which he still 
owns. It forms the nucleus of his fine twelve- 
lumdred-and-fifty-acre farm, on which he is 
now raising crops of wheat and barley. He 
is also the owner of a one-thousand-acre tract 
of pasture land, and upon this he indulges 
liis fancy for raising thoroughbred Jersey cat- 
tle. He also owns thirty acres just beyond 
the Walla Walla race course, and one hundred 
and twenty acres in Oregon, besides some real 
•estate in Seattle. 

When it is remembered that ^Ir. Ferrel 
started without means, a mere mention of his 
various properties conveys some idea of his 
thrift, energ)- and ability, for he has wrought 
his own way in the world entirely unaided. 
The fact that he served as school director for 
•thirty years is conclusive evidence that he is 
a firm believer in the utility of education. 
We may mention in passing that Mr. Ferrel 
at one time harvested with a Haynes Hauser 
combineil harvester one thousand and eight 
sacks of wheat in ten hours, thereby winning 
the distinction of beating all other known 
records. 

Our subject was marnci-i in Iowa, on iu> 
twenty-third birthday, to Miss Caroline Bott, 
a native of Zanesville, Ohio, and they have 
seven children: Thomas J., a farmer; Rosalie 
E.. wife of W". S. Barnett; Seth A., on the 
stock farm; David B.. managing the wheat 
farm: Joseph W'., also on the farm; Fidelia 
C. wife of Charles Maxson; and ^linnie ^L, 
with her parents. 



WALLACE R. COPELAXD. a farmer 
residing six miles southeast of Walla Walla, 
is a son of the west, having been born in 
Yam Hill county. Oregon, in i860. When 
two years old he was brought by his parents 
to Walla Walla, and here he was reared and 
educated. He worked on his father's farm 
from the time of his leaving school until he 
became twenty-two years old. then rented a 
farm and started to cultivate the soil on his 
own account. Six years later he bought the 
place he had previously rented — four hundred 
and sixteen acres on Cottonwood creek — and 
to this he has since added two hundred and 
forty acres of pasture land purchased from the 
government. He also owns a half interest in 
another tract of one hundred and ninety acres. 
At present he is engaged principally in raising 
wheat and barley, but he also gives considera- 
ble attention to thoroughbred Clyde horses 
and thoroughbred Durham cattle. He is now 
the owner of twenty head of cattle and twen- 
ty-five horses. 

Mr. Copeland is an energetic, thrifty man, 
antl a prospjerous. well-to-do fanner, while as 
a man and a citizen his standing in the com- 
munity is of the highest. In Walla Walla 
county, in 18S4. he married Miss Augusta 
Kasel>erg. a native of Ohio, and to their union 
have been bom five children. Henry, Laura, 
Lizzie. Ella and Edwin, the last four of whom 
are all attending the public school. 



TOHX A. BEARD. — Prominent among 
those whose industry and toil ha\e wrought 
the industrial and agricultural development of 
this county is the man whose name forms the 
caption of this brief and necessarily incom- 
plete article. He possesses the sturdy man- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



467 



huod and great native daring which form the 
most striking characteristics of the trne pio- 
neer, and is not lacking in an}- (|uahty of heart 
or mind essential to the typical advance agent 
of civilization. 

Born in Illinoi.s on i'\'liruar_\- 14. 1854, he 
s[icnt the first eleven _\-ears of his life there, 
aflerward coming with liis parents o\er the 
long trail to the Walla Walla valley. The re- 
mainder of the family engaged in farming on 
a place five miles southeast of the city of 
Walla Walla, but our subject turned his mind 
to freighting. From the year i860 until the 
advent of the year 1876 he drove a ten-mule 
team almost constantly, but in the latter year 
he took a pre-emption in Columbia county 
and engaged in farming, to which, in 1879, 
he added stock raising also. In 1889 he re- 
tired from the farm temporarily, came to 
Walla Walla, and later became a member of 
the Walla Walla Dressed Meat Company, con- 
tinuing in that until 1898, in which year he 
sold out his interest and again engaged in 
farming and handling stock. He is the owner 
of a fine farm of three hundred and sixty acres 
on Dry creek, and resides in a comfortable 
and handsomely furnished home on East Su- 
mach street, \\'alla Walla, tlic title to which 
is in him. 

Mr. Beard is a prominent man in frater- 
nal circles, having passed through all the chairs 
in Trinity Lodge, L O. O. F., of which he is 
a charter member, and being also actively 
identified with the K. of P. and the United 
Artisans. 

Near the city of Walla Walla, on October 
8, 1876, the marriage of our subject ami Miss 
Clarinda A. Wood was solemnized. Mrs. 
Beard is a native of Iowa, and a pioneer of 
this county, having been brouglit here by her 
parents in 1863. She is a very active lady in 



social circles, and a prominent member of 
Beehive Lodge, D. of R., all the chairs of 
which have been occupied by her. 

Outlining the life of Mrs. Beard's father 
briefiy, we may say that he was born in Ten- 
nessee January 11, 1809, and grew to man's 
estate and married there, afterward removing 
to Iowa, in which state he lost his first wife. 
He married again, and by his second wife, 
Mrs. Beard's mother, who died May 31, 1900, 
he had eleven chiklren, six of whom are liv- 
ing. He passed away in this county on August 
3, 1877, and Mr. Beard's father died in Day- 
ton ]\ larch 17, 1891. 



HON. P. M. LYNCH, deceased, a pio- 
neer of 1861, was born in Gault, Canada, in 
1834. He came to the United States in 1858, 
locating in Nevada City, California, where 
for two years he followed mining. He then 
remo\-ed to Portland, Oregon, and engaged 
in blacksmithing and carriage making, a trade 
which he had learned in his native town. 
•Aliout a year later he removed to Walla Walla 
and (>i)encd here the first carriage making shop 
ir. the cit)-. Ii(nvever, he did not confine his 
attention to that business alone, but also en- 
gaged in [jack freighting to the mines of Sil- 
ver City. I'^lorence and the Oro Fino districts, 
also maintaining a hardware store in \^■alla 
Walla, on Main street, between Second and 
Ihird streets. His freighting business grew 
until he was encouraged to add three ten-mule 
wagons to his train. 

After abiiut four years Mr. Lvnch sold 
his freighting outfit that he might confine his 
energies to his blacksmithing, carriage making 
and hardware business, and he continued to 



468 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



do so from tliat date until the time of his 
death. December 12, 1S81. 

]slr. Lynch was a broad-minded, public- 
spirited, benevolent man. He was three times 
elected to a seat in the Walla Walla city coun- 
cil, and in 1S74 was elected on the Demo- 
cratic ticket to represent the county in the 
territorial legislature. He was one of the or- 
ganizers of the \\'ashington ^"olunteer Fire 
Department, the first fire company in Walla 
Walla. Mr. Lynch was always a devout 
Catholic, but was too broad a man to confine 
his sympathy and benevolence *to any one 
organization. He subscribed liberally to 
all religious sects, and no worthy cause 
ever solicited his aid in vain. In Port- 
land, Oregon. June 18, 1S61, he mar- 
ried ^liss ilary Byrne, a native of Ireland, 
reared and educated in the county of Roscom- 
mon. When eighteen she came with neighbors 
to Chicago, Illinois, and made her home with 
her brother, a business man there. In 1859 
the brother died, and she came via Panama to 
Vancouver, Washington, where she lived with 
another brother until her marriage, since which 
she has been a resident of Walla Walla. She 
and her husband became parents of eight chil- 
tlren : Edward il. and Elitia May, deceased ; 
Sarah A., wife of Hon. D. J. Crowley, of Ta- 
coma, counsel for the Northern Pacific Rail- 
way; Gertrude 'Si., now Mrs. A. C. Marcon- 
nier; Eliza Margaret, now Mrs. \\". A. Fergu- 
son, of Walla Walla; Charles H., a bookkeeper 
for his brother in this city; ^lartin M., a 
clerk in Walla Walla ; and Robert E., a plumber 
in Walla Walla. 

Since !Mr. Lynch's death his widow has 
done all in her power to carry out his charita- 
ble desires, assisting every worthy cause to 
the full extent of her ability. She is a mem- 
ber of the Ladies" Relief Society, a society 



incorporated under the laws of the state of 
\\'ashington in March, 18S5, though organ- 
ized in 1880. It is devoted to general charita- 
ble purposes, recognizing no sect or creed in 
the furtherance of its noble work. Mrs. 
Lynch is one of the oldest members of the 
organization, and has always been a hard 
worker for the good of the cause. 



HON. \\ ILLIAM G. PRESTON.— It is 
with great pleasure that we now essay the task 
of outlining the life history of one whom an 
adventurous spirit early led to the sea, and 
afterwards kept on the forefront of civiliza- 
tion's march during the decades of a long and 
successful career. Our subject has always 
been a giant in achievement and one before 
whom difticulties that would overwhelm a less 
resolute man vanished like the dew before the 
rays of the morning sun. 

Mr. Preston was born in Galway, Sara- 
toga county. New York, on the 23d of Novem- 
ber, 1832, and his education was acquired in 
Galway academy, located in the town of his 
liirth. When eighteen years old, he went to 
live with his uncle. Rev. A. W. Piatt, a Pres- 
byterian minister, residing in Tompkins coun- 
t\-. New York, with whom he remained until 
1852. He tjien went to sea, visiting New 
Brunswick, New Orleans. Liverpool and other 
points in Great Britain and America, and re- 
turning to Galway, via Boston, in 1854. 

That year witnessed the opening for settle- 
ment of the territory of Nebraska, and thither 
our subject went in the fall, making the jour- 
ney by wav of Chicago and Rock Island, down 
the Mississippi to St. Louis, and up the Mis- 
souri river, there being no direct railway con- 
nection at that time. Locating at Bellevue, 





WILLIAM G. PRESTON. 



MRS. WILLLAM G. PRESTOX. 





PLAFT A. PRESTON. 



MRS. PLATT A. PRESTON. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



469 



he liecame captain of Colonel Sarpce's large 
ferry-boat in 1855. and when the territorial 
capital was moved to Omaha, and the boat 
sold to the Council Bluffs and Nebraska Ferry 
Company, he went with it to Omaha. Li 
1857, he removed to Steubenville, Ohio, and 
built the Omaha Cit}'. a double engine, side- 
wheel boat, designed to carry freight on the 
river. Li 1858, leaving the ferry industry in 
charge of his brother, he went to Pike's Peak, 
Colorado, and was among the first on the site 
of Denver, building one of the first houses. 
He was engaged in mining in the Gregory 
mines for a couple of years but, meeting with 
only indifferent success, he resolved to try his 
fortunes in northern Idaho, then a part of the 
territory of W^ashington. He went in by the 
upper Snake river, crossing the stream in a 
wagon bed, and by old Fort Lemhi at the head 
of the Salmon river. 

Mr. Preston's connection with the town 
of Waitsburg dates back to 1866. Shortly 
after his arrival he purchased a half interest 
in the W'ashington Flouring mills, adding also 
a general merchandise business. He and his 
brother, Piatt A., bought out Mr. Wait, the 
original owner, and has continued in the busi- 
ness ever since, at times having other asso- 
ciates in both milling and merchandise. He 
is a director in the Merchant's Bank of Waits- 
burg, a stockholder and director in the Schwa- 
hacher Company's general merchandise store at 
Walla Walla, was prominently connected with 
the Puget Sound Dressed Meat Company when 
that was in existence, and is very largely in- 
terested in farming lands and in stock. While 
evidences of Mr. Preston's wonderful enter- 
prise and great executix'e ability are every- 
where manifest, they are especially to be 
fiiund in the Washington Mills, which have 
long been the leading industry of \\'aitsburg, 



and which ha\-e e\'er been so successfully man- 
aged as to win for their products the first place 
for excellence and a very enviable reputation 
the state over. The plant is in all respects 
equal to the best, and the people of the city 
are justly proud of it. 

Notwithstanding the exacting nature of his 
many duties in connectinn with his pri\-ate Ijusi- 
ness, Mr. Preston has always found time to 
take an interest in politics, and, when called 
upon to perform the public duties for which 
his fine intellectual endowments so well quali- 
fied him, to attend to the same with faithful- 
ness and care. When in the legislature in 
1 88 1, he was appointed chairman of the very 
important Ways and Means committee. 

Preston was married, in 1869, to Miss 
Matilda Cox, a daughter of the noted Hon. 
Anderson Cox, and perhaps the first white 
child born in Idaho. Their union has lieen 
blest by the advent of three children, Bert and 
Dale, in the Preston Grocery Company cf 
\\'alla Walla, and Charles, in the mills at 
Waitsburg. 

As an interesting reminiscence, we may 
record that in 1862, Mr. Preston and his 
brother, \\hile on their way to the Idaho min- 
ing region, crossed the Snake ri\-er above Fort 
Hall when the stream was swollen by melting 
snows, using their wagon bed as a boat. The 
experiment was a very dangerous one, but 
they managed to thus safely ferry across the 
camp equipments and wagons of a large train 
of immigrants, swimming the stock. On reach- 
ing Fort Lemhi, as wagons could be taken no 
furtlier, they traded their cattle and wagons 
to some of those in the train whn became dis- 
couraged and turned back, receiving mules in 
exchange. Pack saddles were made and their 
first experience in the most primitive form of 
transportation where beasts of burden are used 



470 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUXTY, 



was had. One of the mules rolled down the 
mountain and landed in the hrusli hundreds 
of feet below, but further than that no great 
losses were sustained. After experiencing such 
hardships as only a packer knows anything 
about, they at length reached the Elk City 
mines, where the search for the key to ni- 
ture"s vaults besran. 



HON. PLATT .\. PRESTOX.— Among 
the representatives of nature's nobility, who 
in early days made their way to the Pacific 
coast, is the man whose name forms the cap- 
tion of this article, and fortunate it is for the 
industrial and social life of the Walla Walla 
valley that it was so long favored by the pres- 
ence and influence of such a man. His great 
executive ability and capacity for managing 
a multiplicity of enterprises at the same time 
enabled him to perform tasks which would 
have been far beyond the power of ordinary 
men, while his splendid intellectual develop- 
ment and sterling integrity made him many 
times the choice of the electors for high of- 
fices of trust and emolument. In the per- 
formance of every duty, whether it would be 
classed as important or otherwise, he was sig- 
nally faithful, and his broad-minded charity 
and unwavering disposition to treat everyone 
with whom he came in contact with fairness 
and courtesy made him friends by the hun- 
dreds. 

Our subject was born in Saratoga countv. 
New York, in 1S37. His father. Calvin, a 
physician by profession, was also a son of the 
Emjiire state, and his mother, iicc ilcAlister, 
was likewise born there. Mr. Preston received 
his education in the public schools and in 
Princeton Academy, and when the time ar- 



rived for him to leave the parental roof and to 
initiate independent action, came out to Oma- 
ha. Nebraska, where for four years he was 
employed by the Council Bluffs and Omaha 
Ferry Company. In i860, we find him mining 
m Colorado and, in 1862, in that part of Wash- 
ington territory now included in the state of 
Idaho, his business still being to hunt assidu- 
ously for the hidden treasure. In 1866 he 
became identified with the town of Waitsburg, 
where he turned his attention to milling, pur- 
chasing an interest in the plant of Mr. Wait, 
the city's founder. Success attended his efforts 
in the new town from the first, his property in- 
terests increased steadily and his wealth grew 
unceasingly. He became the owner of one of 
the finest residences in the city, besides much 
other realty within the corporate limits, and, to- 
gether with his brother, \\'illiam G., held the 
title to some five thousand acres of excellent 
wheat land, all of which was fully utilized in 
the production of cereals. He and his brother 
owmed most of their property in common and 
always looked carefully aftpr each other's in- 
terests. 

Mr. Preston was a member cf the last terri- 
torial legislature, and so satisfactory to the 
constituency was his service that the electors 
thereof honored him by keeping him in the 
state senate for four years. One singular cir- 
cumstance connected with his public life is that 
though he was so prominent in many hotly 
contested political campaigns, he seems to 
have made no enemies, the charm of his per- 
sonality being such as to disarm hostility. He 
was appointed penitentiary commissioner by 
Gov. Ferry, and at different times served as 
city councilman and school director, and in 
numerous other capacities. 

In 1869, he became the husband of her wiio 
had been Miss Laura Billups, a native of 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUXTY. 



47 r 



Lnva. and the issue ni" their tininu was four 
chiUh"eii. Mrs. Preston died in 1897. 

About three or four years ago. Mr. Pres- 
ton bouglit a home on Portland Heights. Port- 
land, Oregon, and tliere iiis family were resid- 
ing at the time of his sudden demise. He died 
of heart decease on March 12. 1900. while 
traveling in Texas for the benefit of his daugh- 
ter's health, but though that melancholy event 
took place in Galveston, at the home of his 
youngest brother, Cahin \\'. Preston, his re- 
mains lie buried in \\'aitsburg cemetery. He 
had been a proniinent Mason, having once 
servetl as Cirand Master, and at the time of 
his funeral the members of that fraternity in 
AA'alla ^^'alla testified their esteem and regard 
by chartering a special train and attending en 
masse. All the papers of the state with one 
accord bore testimony to his exalted character, 
splendid al)ilities and great service, and the 
memorial tribute of love, prepared by Waits- 
burg Chapter, No. g.Order of the Eastern Star, 
so admirably indites the regard and esteem in 
which the deceased was held not alone by the 
members of that order but by the entire com- 
munity that we cannot refrain from reproduc- 
ing it in full. It reads as follows: "Any at- 
tempt to express the very high esteem in which 
Brother Piatt A. Preston was held by the 
members of this chapter or the consequent sor- 
row because of his death can only ])rove futile. 
The official position he has held among us, 
while it is an intimation of our regard, fails 
to voice our love for him as a brother, com- 
panion and fellow-laborer in carrying forward 
the benevolent and fraternal puqioses of our 
beloved order. He has been with us fmni the 
beginning and has shared all our labors, has 
borne with us our sorrows and participated in 
our joys and pleasures. But yesterday he was 
with us. and suddenlv, liefnre we can fullv 



realize it, he has taken his silent and final de- 
partiu'c. We can onlv huld him in our fond 
remembrance, only recall the pleasant hours 
of social intercourse enjoyed while he was with 
us and hope for a happy reunion bye and bye 
when partings never come to sadden the heart 
and l)ediin the eye. Brother Preston was a 
man of many excellent (jualities. He was a 
well poised man, one wdio was not spoileil bjr 
positions of honor, trust or emolument. He 
never forgot that he himself was huifian and 
tliat others were entitled to the same rights as 
he. This made him companioiialili;, ni.ido him 
friends, and it is with no little pride we say 
with confidence that notwithstanding his long- 
residence in this community, though it was 
one of actix'ity in business of various kinds 
and in political life, yet his friends were legion, 
while no man called him 'enemy.' \o staiti 
ever rested upon his character. We cainiot 
say more, for words are weak. Human speech 
cannot be formed to ad.^quately express the 
heart's deep emotions at the loss of a trusted 
and beloved friend such as Brother Preston 
to each and every one of us. His memorv is- 
enshrined in our hearts and while we cherish 
that memory, let us stri\-e to emulate his many 
\irtues and bow^ in humble submission to 'Him 
who doeth all things well.' We can only tend 
oin- heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved children 
and relatixcs. commending them to God and 
His promises in their great sorrow. Dear 
Brother, farewell !" 



THOMAS COPELAND, a farmer resid- 
ing six miles southeast of Walla AValla, was 
born in the state of Oregon in 1S61. He 
was, however, reared in Walla Walla county, 
whither his parents brought him in .\prilj. 



4/2 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



1863. He acquired a public-school education, 
then went to work on the parental farm. On 
attaining his majority he rented a portion of 
his father's land and engaged in agricultural 
pursuits on his own account. In 1887 he 
bought a two-hundred-and-forty-acre tract 
wliich formed the nucleus for his present mag-, 
nihcent ranch of twelve hundred' acres, the 
remaining nine hundred and sixty being ac- 
quired b)- pre-emption and purchase. He has 
line, wall-bred horses, cattle and hogs, and ex- 
cellent improvements, in fact everything about 
his premises bears eloquent testimony to his 
thrift and energ)-. On his place is a water 
plant costing upwards of one thousand dol- 
lars, and one of the finest barns in the county. 
His principal production, as is the case with 
most of \ht other large farmers of that sec- 
tion of the Inland Empire, is wheat. 

In addition to his real estate holdings, Mr. 
Copeland has some quite valuable mining in- 
terests, and he is also the owner of stock in 
the Warehouse & Elevator Company at Walla 
\\'al]a. He has held a few local offices, among 
them those of road overseer and school trus- 
tee. Fraternally he is identified with the In- 
dependent Order of Odd Fellows, into which 
order he was initiated about twelve years ago. 
In this county, in 18S9, he married Miss Min- 
nie Harman, a member of an old and respected 
pioneer family, and a native of Xew York 
state. They have three children, namely, 
Ralph, Clara and Martha. 



at his handicraft as a journeyman for several 
years. In 1862, however, he came to Xew 
York, opened a shop of his own and started 
to build up a business. He was there for sev- 
eral years, but finally tiring of the line in which 
he was engaged, he removed to Iowa and 
turned his attention to farming. 

After pursuing that industry there for 
three years, Mr. Harmen came to Walla Walla, 
arriving in October, 1873. He bought a place 
south of the city, not far from the fort, . and 
on this he lived and farmed until, on July 17, 
1892, he was called to depart this life. He 
had been an industrious, thrifty and frugal 
man, and left his family in good circumstances. 
Mr. Harmen was married in \'olgest, Ger- 
mary,-, in November, 1S59, to ^liss Caroline 
Moll, a native of that country, and their union 
was blest by the advent of five children, Charles 
and William, with their mother on the farm, 
George and Frank, residents of the valley, 
and Minnie, now Mrs. Thomas Copeland. 
Mr. Harmen was a member of the German 
Lutiieran church, and his widow also belongs 
to that denomination. 



CHARLES T. HARMEX, deceased, a 
pioneer of 1873, was bom in Berlin, Germany, 
April 19, 1828. He was educated in the pub- 
he schools of his native land, and learned the 
'trade of a wagon maker there, also worked 



JOSEPH ^IcE\'OY, a farmer on the Old 
Dalles road, four miles southwest of Walla 
Walla, a pioneer of 1856. was born in county 
Kilkenny, Ireland, on May 26, 1832. He 
passed the first eighteen years of his life in 
his native land, receiving his educational 
training in a private school, but in 1850 he 
sailed for X'ew York. He remained in that 
city five months, then enlisted in the United 
States army for general ser\ice. He was soon 
transferred to Company E. First Regiment 
Mounted Rifles, and sent west. He served 
with that branch of the armv for two and a 





CHARLES T. HARMEN. 



MRS. CAROLINE HARMEN. 





JOSEPH McEVOY. 



JOHN F. ABBOTT. 



PIISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



473 



halt years on the plains of Kansas, Nebraska, 
and Wyoming, but in 1854 was transferred to 
Company E, First Regiment Dragoons. He 
participated in the Rogue river war. in the 
Yakima war, and in 1856, while i>n his way 
to take station at Fort \\'alla Walla, had a 
hard fight with Lidians on the Umatilla river, 
where his company was surrounded after res- 
cuing Governor Stevens and escort, who had 
been previously surrounded on Russell creek. 

Some time before this, also, Mr. McE\-oy 
was with Captain Gunnison, of the engineer 
corps, on a surveying expedition in Utah. He, 
with the remainder of the escort except eight 
men, was ordered to proceed further up the 
Survey river, where they were then working, 
the captain instructing them to search out a 
good camping place, and await his arrival a 
few days later. The next morning one of the 
men who had remained behind came into camp 
bringing the melancholy news that the cap- 
tain and the other seven men had been mas- 
sacred by Lidians. 

At the expiration of his term of service, 
Mr. McEvoy hired out to the quartermaster 
of Fort Walla Walla to herd government cattle. 
He was thus employed two years and for three 
years thereafter he was in charge of the quar- 
termaster's stables. He then took a homestead 
of eighty acres and a pre-emption of the same 
proportions adjoining, the land for which he 
had expressed a desire when he first marched 
into Walla Walla. He still owns and works 
this land, raising a variety of farm products, 
and exhibiting the same courage and forti- 
tude in his battle with opposing forces which 
characterized him while battling with the red 
men on the plain. He affiliates with the Li- 
dian War Veterans. 

Mr. McEvoy was married in Portland, 
Oregon, on RLarch 10, 1859, to Miss Eliza 



Benn, a native of county Limerick, Lxland, 
and a pioneer of the coast of 1858. They had 
nine children, one of whom is deceased. Of 
the eight living children, two daughters are 
residing with their husbands in this valley, 
two sons, Patrick A. and Charles H. (the 
former of whom was the first white child born 
in this county, the date being March 13, 
i860), are married and residing in Nevada 
and Farmington, Washington, respectively, 
and three sons and one daughter are at home 
with their father. Mrs. McEvoy died in Walla 
Walla on May 26, 189S, after a residence of 
forty years in the valley. She lies buried in 
the Valley Chapel cemetery,' beside her son. 



JOHN F. ABBOTT, deceased, a pioneer 
of 1859, belonged to that class of men whom 
adventurous spirits and love of nature in its 
wildness and variety have kept constantly in 
the forefront of civilization's march. He was 
born in New York, March 25, 1823, and there . 
he spent the first thirteen years of his life. He 
then started to make his own way in the world, 
and sought his fortunes in various states, final- 
ly settling in W'isconsin, where he had his 
initial experience in the stage-line business. 

In 1849 Mr- Abbott crossed the plains to 
California, where he at once engaged in min- 
ing, following that occupation for two years. 
He subsequently came to Laf ayette,Oregon, and 
established a stage-line between that town and 
Portland, and also another between Jackson- 
ville and Sterlingville. hi 1859 he removed to 
W'alla Walla, only to resume staging on a 
route extending from that town to W^allula. 
He also became interested in a li\'erv business, 
;nid with Thomas & Ruckle in the hercu- 
lean task of establishing a stage line from 



474 



HISTORY OF WALL 



Walla Walla over the Blue mountains to Boise, 
Idaho. He busied himself in connection with 
this route until 1873, when he sold out his in- 
terests, purchased land and turned his attention 
to farming. 

In this new calling ^Ir. Abbott seems to 
liave been very successful, for at the time of 
his death he had large real estate holdings 
in the county. He was a public-spirited, pro- 
gressix'e man, ever ready to contribute liberally 
of his means to any deserving enterprise, and 
when he died on ]\Iarch 14, 1896, the city and 
county of Walla W'alla sustained a great loss. 
Fraternally, he was a prominent Odd Fellow. 
While in Oregon he married Susan Creighton 
(iicc Snyder), a native of Ohio, the widow of 
N. M. Creighton, and to them were born three 
children, John H., a farmer; Belle, wife of Dr. 
JManzey, of Spokane; and Anna, wife of Major 
W. H. ]\Iiller, formerly chief quartermaster 
in Cuba, now stationed at Boston, Massa- 
chusetts. 

Jdhn H. .\l)bott, the oldest son, whose con- 
nection with \\'alla Walla dates back to i860, 
was born in Lafayette, Oregon, March 5, 1854. 
He received his education in the pulilic schools 
of Walla Walla, in Whitman College and in 
the Bishop Scott's grammar school of Port- 
land. For many years he was his father's 
manager, but he has since engaged in farm- 
ing, becoming one of the extensi\e tillers of 
the soil of the county. At present he is the 
owner of al)0ut one thousand acres in this 
vicinity, besides a stock ranch on Snake river 
and some town property. Like his father, he 
affiliates with the I. O. O. F. He was mar- 
ried in Walla Walla, March 16, 1884, to Miss 
Josephine V. Wiseman, a native of Idaho, and a 
pioneer of 1858. They have four children liv- 
ing, namely: Byra, \'erna. Emily, and Susan, 
also two deceased, Annabel and Lisle. 



A WALLA COUNTY. 
/ 

DR. X. G. BLALOCK, physician and sur- 
geon, is a native of North Carolina, liorn in 
1836. He received his primary education there 
and studied in the Tusculum College for two 
years. He also began the study of medicine 
in that state, but completed his professional 
training in Jefferson ^ledical College, from 
which he graduated in March, 1861. The next 
year he entered the army as assistant surgeon 
of the One Hundred and Fifteenth Illinois 
Volunteers, remaining with his regiment until 
1863, when he was compelled to resign on 
account of ill health. For the ensuing twelve 
years he practiced medicine near Decatur, Illi- 
nois, but at length he decided to try his fortunes 
ir the west, and accordingly set out with teams 
to Walla W^alla. 

Upon his arrival Dr. Blalock at once re- 
sumed his practice, and he has given a share 
of his attentiin to that ever since, though he 
lias also been quite extensively interested in 
farming. He was the first to raise wheat in 
the foot hills of the Blue mountains, produc- 
ing crops which would seem almost fabulous 
to those unfamiliar with the fertility of the 
soil of that region. One thousaml acres in 
a square yielded, under his skillful husbandry, 
fifty-one thousand bushels of wdieat. At pres- 
ent he is an extensive fruit-raiser, owning 
what is now known as the Blalock fruit farm, 
two miles west of \\'alla Walla, upon which 
are sixty thousand fruit trees. He also has 
the title to an island in the Columbia river, 
containing four thousand acres, which he is 
now developing into an immense fruit and al- 
falfa farm. 

Despite the demands of his medical practice 
and the cares of his extensive real estate hold- 
irgs. Dr. Blalock has always found time to 
perform well and faithfully his duties as a 
citizen. He rendered efficient service in 1889 




N. G. BLALOCK 



/ 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



475- 



as a member of the Conslilutiniial convention; 
for several years he was mayor of Walla Walla, 
and in many other ways he has taken his place 
as a leader in the political affairs of city, coimty 
and state. He stands high in his profession, 
and belongs to the United States, county and 
state medical associations. He was married in 
North Carolina, in 1858, to Miss Panthea A. 
Durham, who died in 1864, leaving two chil- 
dren, one of whom. Dr. Y. C. Blalock, still 
survives and is a practicing physician in Walla 
^^'alla. Li 1865 the Doctor married again, the 
laily being Marie E. Greenfield, and ])\- this 
union he has two daughters. 



JOHN D. LAMB, a farmer residing at 
304 East Sumach street, Walla Walla, is a 
native of this county, born March 8, 1861. 
He has passed his entire lifetime thus far in the 
valley, receiving his education in the local 
public schools. On arriving at years of ma- 
turity he entered the hardware and furniture 
business in this city, but in 1893 he sold out 
and invested in a six-hundred-and-forty-acre 
farm on Eureka Flat. He has farmed this 
ever since, though his residence is in the city. 
He also owns considerable garden land in the 
vicinity of Walla Walla, and' has, in addition 
to his elegant home, considerable city real es- 
tate of value. 

Mr. Lamb is a man of unusual ability, as 
is evinced by the fact that he has been re- 
markably successful, both as a business man 
and a farmer, while others with opportunities 
as good or better have failed. He is quite 
prominent in political circles, and may well 
be ranked as one of the leaders of the local 
Democracy. He served two years on the city 
council, and in the current year, 1900, was 



tlie nominee of his party for the responsible 
office of police judge. Mr. Laiub was mar- 
ried in Walla Walla, July 2, 1887, to Miss 
Alice Morrison, also a native of this county, 
born November i, 1864. Mrs. Lamb's father, 
John Morrison, was a native of Michigan, 
but came ti > Walla Walla in very early days. 
He died in b'ebruary, 1866, and his remains 
lie buried in the city cemetery. Her mother 
is now Mrs. E. G. Riffle. 



CARRICK H. BARNETT, a pioneer of 
Walla Walla of 1877, was born at Athens, 
Tennessee, July 17, 1836. When quite young 
he was taken by his parents to Wright county, 
Missouri, where his motlier died and where he 
resided until twelve years old. The father, 
who was for four years sheriff of the county, 
died before completing his second term, and 
our subject removed to Dallas county, to the 
home of his uncle, Mr. Frederick Hale. He 
remained with that gentleman until seventeen, 
working on the farm and receiving such edu- 
cation as was obtainable in a frontier public 
school. 

Mr. Barnett, in 1854, crossed the plains, 
having been employed to drive a band of four 
hundred head of cattle to Marysville, Cali- 
fornia. He made the trip in four months. 
That ta.sk accomplished, he went to Napa val- 
ley, where he worked on a wheat farm for ten 
months. He then rode on mule back to Oak- 
land, Douglas county, Oregon, and secured 
from the well-known Dr. Dorsey S. Baker a 
job of freighting from that town to the south- 
ern Oregon mines. He soon became a third 
owner in the teams and equipments. 

Mr. Barnett participated in the Rogue river 
Indian war of this period, serving under Cap- 



476 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



tain William Chapman, who organized a com- 
pany of his own. In 1858, he. in company 
with other parties, bought a flour mill from 
Dr. Baker, and he was engaged in the dual oc- 
cupation of milling and farming until about 
1862, when he sold his interest and gave his 
exclusive attention to agriculture and stock 
raising. In 1S77, lie came to the Walla Walla 
valley, bought two hundred and forty acres 
of land on Russell creek, and again engaged 
in farming. Being an ambitious man and 
possessed of those qualities which insure suc- 
cess in farming or almost any other business, 
he naturally increased his realty holdings from 
time to time, until he became the owner of 
nearly one thousand acres. This mammoth 
farm he and his sons are now cultivating for 
wheat and barley, raising large crops an- 
nually. 

Mr. Burnett made his home on the farm 
until 1S90, Init since that year he has been 
living on a fine tract of city land comprising 
about four lots, upon which he erected a con- 
venient and elegantly furnished modern home. 
He and Mrs. Barnett both belong to the 'M. 
E. church of A\'alla \\'alla. Mr. Barnett was 
married first in Oakland, Oregon, in Octo- 
ber, 1858, to Miss Sarah E. Reed, who died 
in that town March 13. 1870, leaving four 
children: William II., Walter S., now on the 
farm, Ida, deceased, antl George E., a dentist 
in Walla Walla. On May 25, 1873, ^^^^■ 
Barnett married Mrs. Sarah E. Brown, a na- 
tive of Illinois, who is also one of our early 
settlers, having come to Walla Walla valley 
in June, 1871. 



JUDGE JOHN A. TAYLOR is a pioneer 
of Walla \\'alla, of 1876, but he has taken an 
important part in the development of the West 



for nearly half a centur_\-. He was l)orn in New 
York, September 12, 1825. When thirteen 
years old, he came with his father to Lancaster, 
\\'isconsin, and there he resided until 1852. 
In that year he set out with ox-teams on the 
long journey across the plains, landing in 
Portland, Oregon, October 6, after a six 
months' trip. His first undertaking in the new 
country was the establishment of a ferry about 
eleven miles south of Portland, on the Tualatin 
ri\-er. This he operated imtil 1863, in which 
year a toll liridge was built l\v him at a cost 
of four thousand dollars. 

In 1874 Mr. Taylor became proprietor of 
a hotel at .Amity. Yam Hill county, but this 
he disposed of in 1876, to come to Walla 
Walla, where he has since resided. Upon his 
an-i\al here, he engaged in selling farm ma- 
chinery for the Hawley-Dodd Company. He 
remained with tlicm nearly tliree years, then 
with Paine Bros, three years, and then with 
William Jones for fourteen months. In 18S2 
he was elected justice of the peace and police 
judge of the citv. which offices he retained 
for the ensuing twelve years. For the three 
years prior to 1899. he maintained a gents' 
furnishing store in Walla Walla, but since that 
date he has been enjoying a well earned re- 
tirement. 

Judge Taylor has long been act;\'e in the 
councils and campaigns of the Republican 
party, and to him belongs the honor of having 
been the first Reiniblican elected to the legis- 
latin^e from \\'alla Walla county. He was also 
elected a member of the city council in 1878. 
and. being reelected the next year, served two 
terms. He is a man of probity, independence, 
and force of character, and well fitted to oc- 
cupy a position of prominence among his fel- 
low men. For forty years he has been an 
active and esteemed member of the Masonic 





JOHN A. TAYLOR. 



MRS. JOHN A. TAYLOR. 





J. J. ROHN. 



JAMES M. DEWAR. 



HISTORY OF WALLA \\'ALLA COUXTY. 



477 



fraternity. He was married in Lancaster, 
Wisconsin, October 25. 1S46, to INliss Sarah 
^IcKinzie, a native of Kentucky, and to their 
union have been born six children, namely: 
Lucetta, now ilrs. S. C. Kelley ; Frank ; Annie, 
deceased ; Ella, now ilrs. R. F. Mead, a 
banker in Spokane; Jennie, wife of Daniel 
\\'ann, and John E., a traveling salesman for 
a Seattle firm. Mrs. Taylor was born June 
II, 1825, in West Liberty, Morgan county, 
Kentucky, ^^'hile a small girl she left her 
native state with her parents and removed to 
Lancaster, Wisconsin, where she was educated 
in the common schools (the only available 
schools at the time). There she met and mar- 
ried ]Mr. Taylor, with whom she removed to 
this country. She has been his life partner fifty- 
four years, sharing with him all his trials and 
hardships and enjoying with him his suc- 
cesses. 



J. J. ROHX, one of the thrifty farmers and 
pioneers of the county, residing nine miles 
east of \\^alla \\'alla, was born in Baden, 
Germany, in 1835. He was left an orphan 
when ten years old; but was cared for and 
educated by his tmcle. \Mien seventeen years 
old, he emigrated to the United States, realiz- 
ing that the opportunities for a young man of 
energy and ability were far superior here to 
those offered in the old world. He worked 
at his trade, wood gilding, in Xew York for a 
while, and then spent ten months in Balti- 
more, in the same occupation, subsequently en- 
listing in the United States armv as a mem- 
ber of the First Dragoons. He was sent to 
California at once, and before long found him- 
self engaged in Indian warfare. During the 
five years of his army life he was almost con- 
stantly in confiict with the red men, not only 



in California, but in Oregon and Washington, 
as well. 

Upon receiving his discharge at \'ancouver 
ir i860, Mr. Rohn proceeded direct to Walla 
\\'alla county, took up a claim of one hundred 
and sixty acres on Mill creek, invested five hun- 
dred dollars, which frugal living had enabled 
him to save out of his soldier's pay, in stock, 
and engaged in the business of cattle raising. 
He was unfortunate at first, and lost heavily, 
but, with commendable perseverance, moved 
further down the creek, purchased more land, 
and started again. He has prospered ever 
since, adding to his real estate holdings from 
time to time until he is now the owner of four 
hundred and seven acres, highly improved and 
most of it in an excellent state of cultivation. 

Our subject is entirely a self made man. 
Starting in a new land, without even a knowl- 
edge of our language, he has, by his own un- 
aided efforts, wrought his way to a competencv. 
and to a rank among the leading farmers of the 
county. Few men enjoy a greater degree of 
the esteem and good will of their neighbors, 
than does ^^Ir. Rohn. He married, in 1866, 
^liss Sarah E. Sanders, a most estimable lady, 
who unfortunately died in 1872. She left four 
children; Katie, wife of Thomas Bryant; Ma- 
line, now ]\Irs. Harry Gilkerson ;Fred. now liv- 
ing on his father's old homestead on Mill creek ; 
and Sarah J., who died in 1874. 



HOX. JAMES yi. DEWAR, deceased, 
was a nati\e of Scotland, born February 12, 
1824, in the county of Perth, near the ancient 
castle of Doune. His parents were farmers on 
the northern slope of the Grampian hills, and 
he was cradled among the scenes of Scottish 
legend, and passed his early years by the banks 



478 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



of the waters of the l)eaiuiful ri\er Teitli, 
which is fed by the pure waters of Lakes Cath- 
erine and \'ennacher, wliere Fitz James, tlie 
Scottish king, first met his "Lady of the Lake." 
A'ot less adventurous by nature than the storied 
lieroes of Scottish romance. Mr. Dewar early 
conceived the desire to look beyond the scenes 
of his native hills, and to have a part in the 
struggles of the new country to emerge from 
barbarism to civilization. This desire grew 
in intensity witii the advent of manhood until, 
in 1853. it forced him from the home roof 
and across the ocean to America. 

For tile five years following the date of his 
arriwil. Mr. Dewar traveled over the northern 
states of the American union, and in 1S5S we 
find him on the Pacific coast. While sojourn- 
ing at Champoeg, on the Willamette river, he 
met a relative of his named .Archibald Mc- 
Kinlay, the man who is so well known to all 
the pioneers of the nortliwest as a fearless 
leader of trapjiing expeditions, and a valued 
employe of the Hudson's Bay Company. Mr. 
iMcKinlay advised his young relative to seek 
his fortunes in tlie Walla Walla valley, point- 
ing out to him the many advantages and bright 
prospects for a grand future which that region 
possessed, but at the same time warning him 
that he could not enter the valley without for 
a time at least risking his scalp. But the man 
who had in his veins the blood of Bruce and 
^^■allace. and whose ideas of manly courage 
had been developed by reading of the stirring 
deeds of his warlike ancestors, was not to be 
deterred by any possible danger from Indians, 
so on the 4th of January, 1859, he entered the 
valley which was his home until March 27, 
189J. when death called him. as we believe, to 
a higher sphere of usefulness. 

His first home in this county was a log 
■cabin on Cottonwood creek. The picturesque 



surroundings of this primitive dwelling place 
had taken his fancy, and he had purchased it 
with the land claim on which it was built, 
paying the original owner fifty dollars for the 
whole. During the first years of his occupancy, 
he did not intend to make it his permanent 
home, but rather a temporary base of opera- 
tions, his business being to raise large herds 
of cattle and horses for the Pacific coast mar- 
ket. As time went by, however, he grew to 
like the locality, and as the country was set- 
tled up and his range began to narrow, he sold 
oflf his surplus stock, turning his attention to 
agricultural pursuits. His farm originally 
comprised three hundred and twenty acres, but 
it was afterwards increased by the purchase of 
one hundred and se\-enty-four acres more near 
by. .-Ml of this land has been enclosed by 
fence and brought to a high state of cultivation, 
and, as may be supposed, the log cabin has long 
since given place to a cosy and comfortable 
modern home. The oldest orchard in the 
county, with one exception, is upon this farm. 
Although never an ardent partisan. ^Mr. 
Dewar always took such interest in political 
matters as becomes a good citizen, and he 
was more than once called upon to perform 
the duties of very important offices. In 1878 
he was elected by the Republican party to a 
seat in the territorial legislature, and while 
there became the author of the celebrated rail- 
way freight bill which bore his name. He was 
again elected to represent the county in 1882, 
and yet again in 1888, but did not serve the 
last time as that legislature never met owing 
to tiie fact that in 1889 the territory was ad- 
mitted to statehood. He also served as a dele- 
gate to the convention which nominated can- 
didates for membership in the body to which 
the drafting of our state constitution was en- 
trusted. In all his public services he proved 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



479 



true to those who had reposeil confidence in 
him. discharging his every duty luniestly and 
with an eve single to the general benefit, and 
earning for himself an honored place among 
the builders of the state. 

^Ir. Dewar was marriei.1 in Walla Walla 
januarv 27, 1864, the lady (jf his choice being 
Miss ]\Iargaret jMcRae, who still survives, and 
who is fortunate in being the recipient of the 
esteem and respect of all. Seven children were 
born of this union, three of whom, Alexander, 
Elida and Gorden M., are living, but the re- 
maining four, John, James 'SI.. Elizabeth and 
David, have passed away, the last two having 
died of diphtheria on the same day. In re- 
ligious persuasion, the family are Presby- 
terians. 



JOHN A. DAXTS. a farmer residing 
about eight miles southeast of Walla Walla, 
a pioneer of 1863, is a native of Owen coun- 
ty, Indiana, born in 1839. The first nine years 
of his life were passed in the state of his na- 
tivity, but in 1848 the family moved to south- 
ern Iowa, and there Air. Davis completed his 
education. He worked on the paternal farm 
until twenty years old, then engaged in that 
occupation on his own behalf. In 1863, he 
started with o-x-teams on the long and danger- 
ous trip across the plains, and on the 4th of 
September of that year he arrived iu Walla 
Walla. He experienced several Indian scares, 
but had no trouble with the red men. 

Air. Davis worked for wages here for a 
while at first, but in 1864 homesteaded a 
place nine miles east of Walla Walla, and be- 
gan farming. He resided on this quarter sec- 
tion continuously until 1882, then sold out and 
imrchased a tract of six hundred acres eight 
miles southeast of the citv, on Cottonwood 



creek. This he farmed until about four years 
ago, but of late years he has been letting it 
out to renters. For many years he was an 
extensive producer of wheat and barley, and 
handled large numbers of stock every season, 
but he is now retired to his magnificent rural 
home to enjoy a well-earned rest. He has in 
addition to his real estate an interest in the 
Davis Kaser Furniture Company. 

For many years I\Ir. Davis was a very 
efficient force in the industrial development of 
this country, and he has certainly dene his 
share towards redeeming the primeval, wild 
and unsubdued \\'alla Walla valley, and mak- 
ing it a fit dwelling place for civilized hu- 
manity. He was married in Iowa, in January, 
1862, to Caroline Snoday, and the}' have be- 
come parents of twelve children, Margaret 
A., James W., Mary M., Laura E., Frank A.. 
William M., Stella, Clara, Edna, Gertrude, 
and Elmer, li\-ing, antl Xellie, who died in 
March, 1899. 



JAAIES C.\TIOX, deceased, whose con- 
nection with \\'alla Walla dates back to 1886, 
was born in Illinois, April 7, 1863. He re- 
ceived a good general education and took a 
very thorough course in the Gem City Business 
College. When twenty-three years old, he 
was tendered a position in the Walla AA'alla 
Business College, and he taught in that insti- 
tution a year, then, in connection with A. M. 
Cation and Prof. James F. Stubblefield, 'found- 
ed the Empire Business College, in which he 
was instructor in bookkeeping until about 
1889. He then became bookkeeper and after- 
wards paying teller in the Baker-Boyer bank, 
with which he was connected until, in 1S94, 
he was compelled by failing health to resign. 



4So 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



He afterwards audited the books of the city 
as an expert, but his health continued poorly, 
and on March 14, 189S. while trying the effect 
of a more southerly climate, he died in Phcenix, 
Arizona. His remains were sent back to 
Walla \\'alla, and lie buried in the city cem- 
etery. 

Mr. Cation was a man of integrity and 
worth, highly esteemed by those with whom 
he came in contact, and his untimely demise 
was a cause of deep regret to hosts of friends 
and acquaintances. On April 22, 1891, in 
the city of Walla Walla, he married ^Miss 
Cora Lamb, a native of this city, daughter of 
James M. and Jane Lamb, early pioneers of 
the county. Mr. Cation was a member of the 
Cumberland Presbyterian church, and his 
widow is identified with that denomination. 



CYRUS T. XELSOX.— Among those who 
are devoting their attention to the great basic 
art of agriculture in Walla \\'alla county is 
the gentleman whose name initiates this para- 
graph, his fine farm being located six miles 
north of the city of Walla \\'alla and the same 
being under excellent cultivation. As one of 
the representative agriculturists of the county, 
it is but consistent that we accord in this work 
a review of the life of Mr. Nelson. 

Bom in the year 1839, our subject is a 
native of Ohio, and he continued to make his 
liome in the old Buckeye state until he had at- 
tained the age of twenty years, receiving his 
educational training in the public schools and 
early becoming familiar with the practical du- 
ties of life, in which connection it may be said 
that he was engaged in work on the farm and 
in a saw mill. Having determined to trv his 
fortunes in the New Eldorado, Mr. Nelson 



left his old home in the year 1859 and came to 
California by way of the isthmus of Panama. 
L'pon arriving in the Golden state he made his 
way into the mining districts, where he con- 
tinued operations until November, 1861, when 
he made his way to Walla Walla and thence 
proceeded on a prospecting trip in Idaho, from 
Florence City as headquarters. In June, 1862, 
he went to the Oro Fino mining district, where 
he was engaged until 1879, having in the 
meantime passed the winters in Walla \\'alla, 
which he looked upon as his home, he having 
purchased land in the vicinity as early as 1870 
and having rented the same until 1879, which 
year stands as the date of his permanent loca- 
tion in Walla Walla county. His ranch is lo- 
cated on Dry creek, comprises eight hundred 
acres and is well improved and under a high 
state of cultivation, his entire attention hav- 
ing practically been given to its improvement 
since he located on the place in the year men- 
tioned. 

!Mr. Nelson raises large crops of wheat and 
alfalfa and also devotes considerable atten- 
tion to the raising of live stock, — principally 
cattle and hogs. Though his farming interests 
are of distinct importance and value, our sub- 
ject still maintains his association with the 
mining industry and passes the summer months 
in the Oro Fino mining districts, where he has 
a valuable quartz mine. He has recently erect- 
ed a five-stamp mill, which is now ready for 
operation. In connection with his farming op- 
erations Mr. Nelson owns a threshing machine, 
which during the harvest season is in requisi- 
tion throughout the farming districts con- 
tiguous to his home place. On the ranch is a 
fine orchard of about five acres from which an 
excellent yield is obtained. 

The marriage of Mr. Nelson was solem- 
nized in Walla Walla county, in the year 1873, 





C. T. NELSON. 



HIRAM NELSON. 





NEWTON ALDRICH. 



J s. ki;rsiiaw. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



481 



when he was united to JMiss Julia Mclnroe, 
who became a resident of the county in 1871. 
Of this union seven children were born and 
only one of the number is deceased. Tlie names 
of the children, in order of birth, are as fol- 
lows: Carrie L., George U., Lawrence F., Lora 
A., Cyrus M., Edith Blanche (who died 
March 18, 1900), and Ruth. The family en- 
joy a distinct popularity in the community and 
represent the sterling element which enters into 
the makeup of the population of the favored 
county of Walla Walla. 



NEWTON ALDRICH, deceased, a pio- 
neer of 1858, was born in New York state, 
June 28, 1833. When quite young he was 
taken by his parents to Michigan, where he 
received his public school training and where 
he lived until about nineteen years old. He 
then came out to California, via the isthmus, 
and engaged in teaming and mining. In 1858 
he came to Walla Walla county with a band 
of stock, and before he disposed of the herd 
he had decided to make his home in this sec- 
tion. Accordingly he took a pre-emption about 
two miles southwest of Dixie, and settled down 
to the task of preparing a home for himself and 
family. He bought more land from time to 
time until he became the owner of five hun- 
dred and twenty acres in the locality of his 
home, and another farm two miles away. He 
was engaged in raising wheat and horses until 
the time of his death, January 26, 1888. 

'\h. Aldrich was a good, substantial citi- 
zen of the county, and though he seems to have 
never been especially ambitious for leadership 
among his fellows, and never accepted any 
public office, he was, nevertheless, well thought 
of and highly respected in the community in 

31 



which he lived. He was married in this coun- 
ty, November 16, 1865, to Aliss Annie Shoe- 
maker, who still lives on the original home 
place. They had three .children, Minnie 
Serepta, Ida Estella, who died June 30, 1869, 
and Clara Etta. 



HIRAM NELSON, a farmer, was born in. 
Stark county, Ohio, in 1836. He was reared 
on a farm in his native state, acquiring his 
education in the local public school. When nine- 
teen he went to work on the railroad. The next 
year, however, he went to California, via the 
isthmus, and for the four years following the 
date of his arrival he was engaged in mining. 
In 1861 he came to what is now known as 
Pierce City, Idaho, where he and his brother 
followed the business of putting in ditches until 
1865. 

Mr. Nelson then purchased a farm where 
he now resides, about six miles north of the 
city of Walla Walla, and settled down tO' 
the life of a farmer. As a result of his. 
labors, he is now the owner of a fine eight- 
hundred-acre ranch, supplied with good build- 
ings and all manner of farming implements. 
He produces splendid crops of wheat, alfalfa, 
timothy and fruit, also raises and Jiandles a 
great many hogs each season, and a number of 
cattle and horses. He is a very industrious,. 
energetic, progressive man, and deserves a 
place among the leading farmers of the county. 
He is, moreover, a public-spirited man, ever 
ready to do what he can for the promotion of 
the general welfare, and he has at different 
times served as road overseer and school di- 
rector. In Walla Walla, on March 4, 1866,. 
our subject married Miss Sarah Ann Mclnroe, 
a native of New York state, and to them have 
been born five children : William T. ; Addie,. 



482 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY, 



Avife of Frank Smitli. of Walla \\'alla county; 
Ellery J.; Clark S., deceased: and Hyram 
G.. Jr. " 

Mr. Xelson has been interested to a greater 
or less extent in mining ever since his arrival 
in California and at present is the owner of 
some properties in the Oro Fino region. 



JAMES S. KERSHAW, a pioneer of 
1861, is a native of England, born July 5, 1836. 
His father died when he was quite young. 
and in 1841 his mother brought him to Amer- 
ica. They lived a while in Pennsylvania, then 
on the Hudson river and finally in Rhode 
Island, where Mr. Kershaw completed his ed- 
ucation and entered man's estate. In July. 
1856, they went to Illinois, where, for the en- 
suing five years, Mr. Kershaw worked as a 
•carpenter and builder. But in the spring of 
1 86 1 he crossed the plains with ox-teams to 
\\'alla Walla valley and located on the site of 
the present town of Dixie. A couple of years 
later he took a homestead just east of the town 
and upon this he has been farming and rais- 
ing cattle ever since. He increased his real es- 
tate holdingfs by purcliase from time to time, 
until he now has a farm of four hundred acres. 
A thrifty, industrious man, he has made for 
himself an excellent home, highly improved, 
and supplied with almost everjthing which 
has a tendency to render rural life pleasant and 
comfortable. As a man and citizen his stand- 
ing in the community is of the highest, and he 
enjoys an abundant measure of the good will 
and esteem of his neighbors. 

In Dixie, December 8, 1875, Mr. Kershaw 
married Mary A. Cook, a native of England, 
and to their union have been born two children ; 
Bessie, now Mrs. Ernest Cantonwine ; and Ar- 
thur C. recentlv married. 



ROBERT E. BAUER.— This respected 
pioneer was born and reared in La Belle 
France, receiving a good common school edu- 
cation. With the advent of manliood came 
also the desire to try his fortune in the new- 
world, and in 1870 he emigrated to Walla 
Walla, where he found employment with his 
brother, who had come to this city as a soldier 
in 1856. He worked in the latter"s wholesale 
and retail tobacco house until 1S90, except 
for about three months of the year 1873, dur- 
ing which time he maintained a barber shop 
of his own at Baker City, Oregon. His brother 
died in 1890. For the past few years our sub- 
ject has been living in comparative retirement, 
though he has been frequently called upon to 
serve as court bailiff. He is a public-spirited 
man. always solicitous for what he conceives 
to be the best interests of the city and county 
and quite active in politics. 



:MILT0X E\"AXS, of Walla Walla, a pio- 
neer of August 31, 1S61, is a native of Pike 
county, Ohio, bom November 9. 1833. He 
was reared on a farm in Scioto county, receiv- 
ing only a '"log cabin" education. On arriv- 
ing at the age of twenty-six, he went to Fre- 
mont county, Iowa, where he farmed a year, 
but in 1 861 he set out across the plains with 
a mixed team, consisting of cows and oxen. 
Arriving in the ^^'alla Walla valley in the 
fall of 1 86 1, he forthwith engaged in farm- 
ing, renting land for the purpose at first, but 
afterwards purchasing four hundred acres, to 
which he later added another tract of two hun- 
dred acres. 

Mr. Evans was a farmer and stock raiser 
on a quite extensive scale until 1883. but he 
then sold the four-hundred-acre tract and 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



483 



moved into Walla Walla, locating on a three- 
acre garden spot within the city limits. Dur- 
ing the past fifteen years Mr. Evans has de- 
voted a considcrahle portion of his time to 
introducing antl experimenting with different 
varieties of ornamental and forage grasses, 
liis purpose being to encourage the beautify- 
insr of farms and to render diversified farm- 
ing pleasant and prufitable, by finding a 
species of grass which will do well on lands of 
which little use can Ije made at present except 
for wheat raising. 

Mr. Evans remained on the garden spot 
abo\-e mentioned until 1889, when he moved 
to his present comfortable home at 216 S. 
First street. He is the owner of two hundred 
and fifty-five acres of land in this county, be- 
sides real estate in Seattle and Ballard, and 
stock in the Farmer's Savings bank of this 
city. 

j\lr. Evans has been a \aluable man to 
this county in many ways, but his greatest 
service consisted in what he has accomplished 
f(.ir the reduction of freight rates. To effect 
an equitable reduction in transportation 
charges he has exerted herculean eft'urts, both 
in the courts and in the legislature. As a re- 
sult of a two-years legal battle with the O. 
R. & N., he succeeded in reducing their charges 
for transporting Avheat six and one-half cents 
per bushel, thereby putting millions into the 
pockets of the farmers. He attended the leg- 
islature during the session of 1896-97 and 
personally interviewed each member of that 
body on the freight rate question, thereby se- 
curing material reductions on farm products 
shipped from this section. Mr. Evans has 
also filled many important local offices, among 
them that of justice of the peace, school clerk, 
county commissioner, and city councilman. 
He is a prominent member of the Masonic 



order, having joined Blue Mountain Lodge, 
No. 13, as early as 1870. Religiously, he 
was reared a Methodist, but for many years 
past he has affiliated with the Cumljerland 
Presbyterian church. He is very liberal in his 
theological views, as he is in jjolitics and every- 
thing else. 

In this county, in June, 1871, Mr. Evans 
married Aliss Alice Branian, a natixe of Mas- 
sachusetts, and a daughter of Palmer and 
Julia Braman, pioneers of their section of this 
slate. To the gentle influence and ever kind- 
ly sympathy of Mrs. Evans he attriluites what- 
ever success he has made of his life, and ad- 
vises all young men to select a good and noble 
woman and marry. Mr. and Mrs. Evans are 
both passionately fond of music and dancing, 
and in a social way are ever surrounded by a 
coterie of congenial spirits, young and old, 
and are thus passing the afternoon of their 
lives in a manner delightful to themselves and 
their friends. 



CHARLES McLNROE, a farmer resid- 
ing six miles north of Walla Walla, was born 
in Steuben county, New York, and there the 
first nine years of his life were passed. In 
1855, however, he went with the remainder 
of the family to northern Wisconsin, where 
he grew to manhood and completed his edu- 
cation. His father was a farmer, but Mr. 
Mclnroe early engaged in logging, lumbering, 
river-driving, etc., an occupation which he 
followed until, in 1879, he started for the west. 
He came to Walla Walla, via San Francisco, 
and for the first three years after his arrival 
here he worked as a laboring man. At length, 
he managed to accumulate enough to luiv a 
small farm. To this he has added from time 
to time until he is now the owner of a full 



484 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUXTY. 



section, all well improved and brought to a 
high state of cultivation. He produces wheat 
and barley principally, but also handles quite 
a large number of cattle and horses. He 
deserves an honored place among those who. 
by intlustry and toil, have worked their way 
to positions of comfort and respectability in 
their communities, and who. in working out 
their own destinies, have also contributed no 
small amount to the general progress. For a 
long time he has held the offices of road over- 
seer and school director. In fraternal connec- 
tions, he is identified with the I. O. O. F.. the 
K. P. and the Elks. 

Mr. Mclnroe was married in Wisconsin, 
in February. 18S7, to :Miss Maggie White, 
and they have two children. Charles and 
Blanchie. 

Mrs. Mclnroe was postmistress of the 
\'allev Grove ix^stoffice. which has since been 
discontinued, for a period of seven years. 



PATRICK Rl'SSELL. a farmer four 
miles north of Walla Walla, was bom in Ire- 
land in 1849. He acquired his education in a 
national school in his fatherland, receiving a 
degree at the conclusion of his course. When 
twenty -tone years of age he emigTated to \\"alla 
Walla, coming via San Francisco. From the 
date of his arrival until 1S80 he was employed 
as a teacher in the various public schools of 
the countv. but in that year he purchased land 
and l^egan farming. He kept increasing his 
real estate holdings from time to time until in 
1894 he had sixteen hundred acres. Since 
then he has been disposing of his lands, until 
his farm is now reviuced to six hundred and 
forty acres. He raises wheat as his principal 
crop, but also produces the other cereals in 



considerable quantities, and gives some atten- 
tion to stock raising. 

Mr. Russell takes an active interest in po- 
litical matters, and is quite a leader in his party. 
He was chairman of the Walla \\'alla county 
delegation to the state Democratic convention 
of 1900. Fraternally he is identified with the 
Catholic Knights of America. In May, 1S83, 
in the city of Walla Walla, Mr. Russell was 
united in marriage with Miss Mary Ann Poi- 
riora. a native of Umatilla county, Oregon, and 
their union has been blessed by the advent of 
nine children : Mary E.. Catherine. Annie. 
Francis J.. Gertrude, William P.. Agnes and 
James E., living; and Margaret, deceased. 



WILLIAM P. STURGIS, a pioneer of 
1871, was born in Gorham, Maine, on Septem- 
ber 4, 1818, and in that town he grew up and 
was educated. His father died in 1826, and he, 
like the rest of the family, had to begin life's 
battle young, ^^"hen fifteen years old, he en- 
gaged in general trading, and from that he later 
went into the real estate business, which he fol- 
lowed continuously for the ensuing thirty- 
seven years. But in 1870 he set out for the 
Walla Walla valley, and upon his arrival he 
formeel a partnership with A. S. Le Grow for 
the purpose of eng-aging in the sheep business 
on Wild Horse creek, about twenty miles south 
of Walla Walla, where they purchased a quar- 
ter-section of land. They afterwards moved 
to the vld Hudson's Bay trading post, about 
twelve miles south of the city. 

Mr. Sturgis was in this industry for twen- 
ty-three years, but when the tariff was removed 
during Cleveland's administration, the profits 
of the business were so materially reduced that 
he decided to try something else. Accordingly, 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



485 



he moved into \\'alla \\'alla with his family, 
ami engaged in the money loaning business. 

Mr. Stnrgis has always been a very efficient 
force in the development and up-building of 
the city and county, subscribing liberally to all 
worthy charitable organizations and educa- 
tional projects. But he is not ambitious politi- 
cally, and never has accepted any office, though 
frequently urged to do so. In January, 184 J, 
he married Miss Susan 'SL Creassy. a native 
of Maine, and a schoolmate of his. They had 
two children : Helen, afterwards Mrs. A. S. 
Le Grow, deceased: and Samuel P., who died 
in Pendleton, where he was serving as cashier 
of the first bank ever opened in the city. He 
was a very prominent ^lason. 

It may be of interest to record that ^Ir. 
Sturgis' birthplace, Gorham, was named after 
his grandmother's brother, Capt. John Gorham. 
Mr. and ]\Irs. Sturgis adhere to the Congrega- 
tional church of Walla ^^'alla. 



DALE PRESTOX. of the Preston Grocery 
Company, of \\'alla Walla, is a native of this 
county, born December 15, 1879. He has al- 
ways resided in the valley, acquiring his educa- 
tion in the public schools, Waitsburg Academy 
and ^^"hitman College. Shortly after complet- 
ing his studies he entered into partnership 
with his brother, Herbert, for the purpose of 
opening a grocery store in \\'alla ^^'alla, and 
they have been in business together since April 
6, 1900. 

The brother, Mr. Herbert Preston, is also 
a native of the county, born December 21, 1876. 
His early life was much the same as was Dale's, 
except that he completed his education in 
Bisliop Scott's Academy, of Portland, Oregon. 
He was ^vith the Schwabacher Company for a 



few years after leaving the Academy, and went 
from their employ directly into the grocery- 
business in which we now find him. ' The broth- 
ers are sharp, quick and tlecisive young men, 
thoroughly business like, and their success in 
commercial life seems in no sense problemati- 
cal. Herbert Preston was married in this 
county in 1894 to ]\Iiss Josephine Corliss. In 
fraternal affiliations, he is identified with the 
A. O. U. W. 



SA^IUEL R. MAXSOX, retired farmer, 
a pioneer of 1S59. was born in Rock county, 
Wisconsin. January 7. 1843. He attended 
school there until fifteen years old, then accom- 
panied his parents to Omaha, Nebraska, where 
he li\ed for two years, attending school and 
farming. In the spring of 1859 he and the 
rest of the family crossed the plains with ox- 
teams intending to go to Pike's Peak, Colora- 
do, but learning that the gold excitement was 
groundless, they changed their course a little, 
and came on over the old Platte river trail to 
\\'alla A\'alla valley. 

The family settled on a pre-emption, but, 
though he made his home with his parents 
for the first four years. Mr. Maxson engaged 
in freighting from the Columbia river to all in- 
land points, using o.x-teams. He afterwards 
purcliased a quarter section of land and became 
a tiller of the soil, continuing in that occupation 
constantly until 189S. In that year, however, 
he came into town, intending to retire, but he 
still retains his farm which consists at present 
of two hundred and thirty-five acres on Rus- 
sell creek, six miles east of Walla Walla. It is 
one of the best improved farms in the neighbor- 
hood, and has on it a splendid orchard of choice 
fruits. 

Mr. Maxson was long regarded as one of 



4S6 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



the most enterprising and industrious fanners 
in the county, and the general air of thrift 
which is perceptible about his premises goes far 
to convince one that this is not a mistaken esti- 
mate. He has borne his share of the public 
burdens at all times, serving as road overseer 
for three years and as school director four 
tenns. He married, in this county, in July. 
1S64. Miss Man," Elizabeth Paul, a native of 
Iowa, and their union has been blessed by the 
advent of ten children : Luellen, now Mrs. D. 
G. Ferguson; Charles: Alice: May, now Mrs. 
Glen Harris : Stephen : Myrtle ; Walter : Ralph, 
all living in the county; also Benjamin and 
Sainuel. deceased. Mr. Maxson affiliates with 
Loilge Xo. 4. A. O. U. W.. of Walla Walla, 
and the entire family are me:iibers of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal church. Mr. Maxson's father, 
Stephen, died in Walla Walla in September, 
1879, and his mother, Lois Maria, in Spokane 
Falls in 1882, and botli are interred in tlie Wal- 
la Walla cemeterx". 



WILLIAM S. MALLOY, one of Uie most 
extensive and successful wheat raisers in the 
county, a pioneer of 1870. was Kim in Xew 
Bninswick, June 17, 1S44. When nine years 
old he accompanied his parents to Stillwater, 
Mimiesota, where he completed his education 
and grew to manirity. In 1864 he crossed the 
plains to \irginia City, Montana, and engagetl 
in mining in that locality, and at Deer Lodge, 
becoming interested! in several valuable proper- 
ties. Coming west in 1870, he settled in Whit- 
man county, and engaged in the business of 
stock raising. In 1876, however, he moved 
into Walla Walla, having sold his stock and 
ranch in Whitman county, but, though his 
home was in that city, he was, for a short time, 
occupied chiefly in mining in L'lah. 



At length Mr. Malloy again engaged in 
farming and the stock business, securing land 
for the purpose twenty-four miles northeast 
of Walla Walla (in Columbia coimty), 
where he now has a tract of about nineteen 
hundred acres. His residence is Xo. 70> 
Whitman street, Walla Walla, but he spends 
enough time on the fann each year to care- 
fully supervise all operations. 

Mr. Malloy does not seem to be especially 
ambiiious for preferment in politics, and in that 
respect is not a leader, but he has been a power- 
ful factor in tlie industrial development of the 
county, and deservedly ranks among the pro- 
gressive forces. In fraternal circles, he is also 
quite prominent, being identified with the F. & 
A. M., and the A. O. U. W. 

In the city of Walla Walla in May. 1S74, 
our subject married Miss Mar}- P. Lyons, 
daughter of Daniel Lyons, a prominent pio- 
neer, who came to California in 1854, and to 
Walla Walla in 1865. He was proprietor of 
the Lyons fern,- on Snake river until his death, 
which occurred in 1893. -^^^^ remains lie bur- 
ied beside those of his wife, who passed away 
in 1879. and was interred in the Walla Walla 
cemetery. Both of Mr. Malloy's parents died 
in Stillwater. Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Malloy 
are parents of six children : William, a farmer : 
Ralph ; Elizabeth ; Minnie ; Thomas and Ange- 
line. 



WILLIAM YEEXD, a farmer seven miles 
north of Walla Walla, is a native of England, 
bom in 1830. He received his education in the 
public schools of his fatherland and in a pri\-ate 
academy, then engaged in farming, an occupa- 
tion which he followed continuously for the en- 
suing eighteen years. In 1870 he emigrated to 
America, and before the A-ear was over he had 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



487 



Incated on the place on whicli we now fmil him. 
He lioniesteailed eighty acres and ])urchased 
another one hundred and sixty acres adjoining, 
and to tliis nucleus he has kept adding lands 
obtained hy purchase fmni the railroad and 
from pri\'atc indisiduals, until he is now the 
owner of over eight hundred acres. He raises 
wheat as his principal crop, but devotes some 
attention to other farm products, especially 
fruit. 

I\Ir. Yeend is a thrifty, enterpri.-^ing, indus- 
trious man, possessed of the courage and force 
of cliaracter well suited for overcoming diffi- 
culties and for winning success in any indus- 
try to which he may turn his attention. He has 
manifested his interest in the general welfare 
in every way in his power, and always shown 
a willingness to bear his full share of the pub- 
lic burdens. He has been the choice of the elec- 
tors in his district both for school director 
and road' overseer. Mr. Yeend was married 
in England in 1853 to Miss Ellen Surman. 
Their children are William S., James Augus- 
tus, John Isaac, Surman N., Dessie M., Ellen 
S. and Mary Florence, living, and Roland, Ar- 
thur, Ernest, Anna Laura, Ocenia, Frank, and 
two unnamed, deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Yeend 
and most of the family are members of the 
Methodist Episcopal church. 



SEVERT O. SELLAND, one of the enter- 
prising business men of Walla Walla, was born 
in Norway, June 10, 1852. He jiassed his 
early youth in his native land, receiving a pub- 
lic-school education, and learning the trade of 
a house painter, then went to sea on vessels ply- 
ing between the L^nitc<l States and England. 
In 1877 he located at Waicca, Minnesota, 
where he folhjwcd his trade and farming until 



1885. In that year he emigrated to Moscow, 
iijalii), and went t(; work as a laboring man for 
a while, but as soon as an opportunity offered 
he opened a paint shop, carrying also a line of 
wall paper. He soon succeeded in building up 
a nourishing trade, but in 1897 sold out and 
went back to Minnesota on a visit. 

Returning shortly to the west Mr. Selland 
sought for a suitable location along the Pacific 
coast, but failing to hnd a place to his liking, he 
returned to Walla Walla, arriving in December, 
1898, and entered the employ of INIr. Burt 
Owen. He worked for that gentleman contin- 
uously until (|uite recently, then bought the 
business, and again started on his own account. 
He in an energetic, decisi\c, business-like man. 
ever alert to anticipate and supply the wants of 
his customers, and he is making every effort to 
increase his stock and Iniild up his trade along 
all lines. Besides his holdings here Mr. Stei- 
land is the owner of some very desirable prop- 
erty in Moscow, Idaho. 



WILLIAM H. BUROKER, son of David 
and Sarah (Jenkins) Buroker, a farmer, a 
pioneer of 1864, was born in Champaign coun- 
ty, Ohio, in 1856. When only a few months 
old he was taken by his parents to Missouri, 
wdiere he lived for about three years. Five 
years were then passed in Davis county, Iowa, 
after which the family made the long trip 
across the plains to Walla Walla county, Wash- 
ington. 

Mr. Buroker finished his education in the 
public schools here, then went to the Willa- 
mette valley, where he lived on a farm for three 
years. Returning then to Walla Walla he took 
charge of a farm for his father, and he was 
thus emi:iloyed for several years. Subsequently 



488 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



he moved to Umatilla county, Oregon, took a 
homej^tead and pre-emption, and began farm- 
ing there. After a residence of seven years in 
that county, he returned to Walla Walla, and 
purchased a farm six miles northeast of that 
citv, where he has lived continuously since. 
He is. at present, the owner of a fine tract, 
containing seven hundred and sixty acres, and 
is engaged in raising wheat and barley prin- 
cipally, though he also handles cattle and hogs. 
His place is splendidly improved, and well 
supplied with good buildings, fences, etc.. in 
fact the evidences of his thrift and energy are 
cvervwhere to be seen around his premises. 

Mr. Buroker takes an active and intelligent 
interest in the public affairs of his neighbor- 
hood, ever displaying a willingness to do his 
full share for the promotion of the general well 
being. He is especially interested in the main- 
tenance of a good public school in his district, 
and for the past ten years has faithfully dis- 
charged the duties of school director. 

Our subject's marriage was solemnized at 
a place three miles east of his present residence, 
on Mav 14. i88j. the lady being ^liss May 
Gallagher, who was born on the site of the 
present Dayton, now in Columbia county, but 
at that time a part of Walla Walla county. 
They have four children in their family, name- 
ly, Zenna M.. Lia T.. Forest L. and ^L^rv E. 



EDWARD J. WILLL-\MS. deceased, a 
pioneer of 1S63, was Ix^rn in Bridgeport, Con- 
necticut, August 7. 1849. He was. when quite 
young, taken by his parents to Xew York, and 
some time later he moved with them to Chi- 
cago, where he witnessed the great fire. He 
received his education mostly in a private 
school. When sixteen vears old. he started 



across the plains with ox-teams to the west, 
and for a number of years after his arrival he 
was engaged in mining, packing and freight- 
ing, but he also kept a sutler's store in Walla 
\\'alla, and was post trader there. He was 
one of the substantial and respected citizens of 
this section and enjoyed the confidence and 
good will of all who knew him. In fraternal 
affiliations, he was a Mason. He was married 
in Walla Walla, in 1872. to ^liss Mary Gavan, 
a pioneer of Walla Walla, and a daughter of 
a Hudson's Bay Company employe. Mrs. 
Williams has four children. Ida J.. Kate H., 
Edward J., and Walter W. H. 



XATHAXIEL B. DEXXEY. deceased, a 
pioneer of 1859, was bom in Delaware. Febru- 
ary 20, 1840. He came to Illinois when thirteen 
years old. and a year later moved thence to 
Iowa, where he passed the ensuing five years 
and completed his education. He then crossed 
the plains direct to Walla \\'alla, traveling 
with ox- teams. He was engaged in mining 
at Oro Fino, Florence and other points until 
1865. in which year he paid a visit to his native 
state. 

Coming thence to Iowa, he married and set- 
tled down to the life of a farmer. He remained 
there nearly four years, then sold out and re- 
turned to Walla Walla county. Purchasing a 
farm on what is known as Whisky creek, east 
of Waitsburg. he started fanning and stock 
raising in that locality, and. except for two 
years spent in Iowa, followed that industry 
continuously until his death, which occurred 
September 11. 1S94. Mr. Denney was a man 
of energ}- and push, and contributed his full 
share to the material and social development 
of the vicinitv in which he lived. 





MRS. N. B. DENNEY. 



N. B. DENNEY. 





E. J. WILLIAMS. 



JOHN M. SWAN. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



489 



His widow, iicc Hawks, lives in a nice home 
in Waitsburg, and directs operations on her 
four-hundred-acre farm in Spring- valley. She 
is a very active lady and quite a leader in the 
social life of the town. She is prominent in 
the Eastern Star, the Rebekahs, and the United 
Artisans, also takes an active part in the work 
of the ]\Iethodist Episcopal church, to which 
she belongs. She and her husband were par- 
ents of seven children, India A., Addie E., 
Annie 'SI.. Clarance L., deceased, Otis L., Rob- 
ert T., and ilarv E. 



JOHN M. SWAN.— In the town of 
Greenock, in Scotland, that little country whose 
sons are noted for their aggressiveness and in- 
tegrity the world over, the man whose name 
initiates this paragraph was born, the date of 
his advent upon the stage of this life ])eing 
April 17, 1823. When his school education 
had been completed and his eighteenth year 
attained he began serving an apprenticeship 
to the trade of ship-building, continuing in 
the same until twenty-three years of age and 
learning all the details of his handicraft with 
a thoroughness which is seldom found in those 
who learn their trades on the American con- 
tinent. In the year 1843 he emigrated to the 
British provinces, and for two years after land- 
ing he worked as a journeyman ship-builder in 
Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New 
Brunswick. In the latter part of the year 
1845, he embarked aboard the Athul, that he 
might serve that ship in the cajiacity of car- 
penter on a voyage from St. John, New Bruns- 
wick, to Valparaiso, Chili. While in the latter 
city, the ship was sold and his connection with 
it terminated. 

After a brief stay on shore, Mr. Swan 



shipped as carpenter on one of the British royal 
mail steamshii)s plying along the west coast of 
South America. (This was an extension of 
the British mail line from England to the West 
Indies and extending to Chagres on the isthmus 
of Panama.) In this employ he remained un- 
til the exciting news of the gold discovery in 
California became the general topic of conver- 
sation along the coast, then, on January 13, 
1849, took passage at the port of Callao on a 
vessel bound for San Francisco. Upon his 
arrival he set out at once for the mines, but he 
was not very successful in his search for treas- 
ure. He took sick and was compelled to re- 
turn to San Francisco in September. Finding 
that the brigantine Orbit, then in port, was go- 
ing to the sound, he took passage aboard her, 
sailing on November 2, 1849, and after a long, 
tempestuous voyage, delayed by a two weeks' 
stay in Neah Bay at Cape Flattery, a call at 
Victoria, British Columbia, and a pause of a 
few days under the lea of Protection Island, 
whither they were driven by the storm, they 
at length gained entrance to the inner waters 
of Puget sound, and arrived at Fort Nisqually 
on the 1st of January, 1850. On the 3d the 
vessel reached the head of the sound, the site 
of the present Olympia. There was no town 
then, but our subject, a la pioneer, at once set 
to work to erect a house with a view to build- 
ing one there. Thus to Mr. Swan belongs the 
honor of having taken the initial steps toward 
founding the first town e\-er laid out in the 
state of Washington. 

All right minded men are desirous of do- 
ing something for the amelioration of condi- 
tions and the good of humanity. For this rea- 
son they band themselves into organizations 
of various kinds in the hope that by intelligent 
and well directed co-operation with others of 
like disposition with themselves they may 



490 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY, 



the better accomplish tlie end in view. 
'Slany work tlirough the churches of the 
various denominations, others unite them- 
selves with fraternal organizations or with 
other benevolent societies. Our subject was 
naturally disposed to do his share for the 
betterment of humanity, and when, on Febru- 
ary lo, 1857, he was initiated into Oiympia 
Lodge. Xo. I. L O. O. F., the first lodge ever 
instituted in tiie territory, tlie date of its in- 
ception being July 13. 1S55, he found that the 
teachings of tlie order were such as he could 
heartily endorse, and saw in it an efficient force 
for the promotion of humanity's well being. Its 
fundamental principle, the fatherhood of God 
and brotherhood of man. and its consequent 
aim. a universal fraternity in the family of 
mankind, as well as its motto, ''Friendship. 
Love and Truth." and its imperative mandate, 
to visit the sick, relieve the distressed, edu- 
cate the orphan, and imbue all men with a 
proper conception of their capabilities for 
good. — these made a profound impression on 
the mind of Mr. Swan, and he has been an 
ardent and active participant in tlie work of 
the fraternity ever since. That his labor has 
been appreciated by his brethren and co-work- 
ers is evinced by the fact that he has been 
placed in all the positions of honor and trust 
in the subordinate and grand bodies of the lodge 
and encampment. He is a past member of the 
Sovereign Grand Lodge, the highest body of 
the order, and a past lieutenant-colonel of the 
Patriarchs Militant. 

The work of our subject in connection with 
the Odd Fellows' home, of which institution 
he was the ardent and assiduous promoter, has 
entitled him to the gratitude, not alone of his 
fraternity and the distressed therein, but to the 
people of W'alla Walla in particular and the 
entire state in general. To him as the prime 



and moving spirit in tlie establishment of the 
institution, the success of the same has been 
largely due. Of his work in this connection 
and of his highly valuable services as president 
of the first board of trustees and as the first 
superintendent thereof, it is unnecessary to 
speak here at length, as these topics are quite 
fully treated under the caption "Odd Fellows' 
Home" on other pages of this volume. 



MILTON ALDRICH.— Few men in Wal- 
la Walla county are more widely known 
throughout the entire valley than is he whose 
name forms the caption of this brief review, 
and still fewer are they whose good fortune 
it is to enjoy such a high degree of the respect 
and confidence of the people. One of the earli- 
est settlers of the valley, having come here in 
1858, he long ago secured a place of honor in 
the opinions of the residents of this entire sec- 
tion, and his subsequent life has ever been so 
ordered as to retain the high standing he then 
secured. This fact in itself would entitle him 
to representation in a volume of this character, 
but he also has the more substantial claim 
of having been an efficient force in the indus- 
trial development of the county, the history 
of which we have attempted to chronicle. 

Our subject was born in New York state 
in 1S30, but received his educational training 
in the good old state of Michigan, which was 
his home from the time he was six years old 
until he attained his majority. As soon, how- 
ever, as man's estate was reached his adventur- 
ous spirit began to assert itself, and before 
long we find him on his way across the contin- 
ent, traveling the "trail of many moons to the 
land of the setting sun" with horse-teams. 

After arriving in California early in 1852, 
he worked at mining and freighting there un- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



491 



til the spring of 1S58. when he became identi- 
fied with the famous Walla Walla valley. It 
was not a particularly, safe place to li\-e in those 
days, as the Indians were numerous and fre- 
cjuently hostile, but fear seemed to find no 
lodgment in the brain of the pioneer, and Mr. 
Aldrich was a typical representative of that 
honored class. 

Shortly after his arrival he pre-empted a 
cjuarter-section of land about seven miles north- 
east of Walla Walla, but his energies were not 
to be long restrained within limits so narrow. 

He kept adding tract after tract to his real 
estate holdings, expanding always in a conser- 
vative and safe way, but keeping pace with his 
increasing facilities for handling the land prof- 
itably, until he became the owner of a fine farm, 
the generous proportions of which may be real- 
ized when one is informed that it includes sev- 
enteen hundred acres. Originally Mr. Aldrich 
gave much attention to stock raising, but since 
the range has been fenced up he has confined 
himself pretty closely to wheat raising. Recent 
issues of the papers inform us that he has just 
sold some sixty thousand bushels of that cereal. 

Notwithstanding his large business interests 
Mr. Aldrich has always taken time to per- 
form well his duties as a good citizen, serving 
ten years in the thankless but important office 
of school director, also as road overseer and 
once as a member of the board of county com- 
missioners; but wheatever the trusts imposed in 
him by the people, he has discharged the du- 
ties of each, whether large or small, with an 
eye single to the general good. 

The marriage of our subject was solem- 
nized in this county in 1863, when ]\Iiss Sarah 
Stanfield, a member of a respected pioneer fam- 
il\', became his wife. Their union has been 
blessed by the advent of three children: Dura. 
Frederick ].. and Shelly P. 



JA:\[ES a. YEEND, a farmer residing 
seven miles north of Walla \\'alla, is a native 
of England, born in March, 1856. He ac- 
quired his education in the common and gram- 
mar schools of his fatherland, then, in 1870, 
came to America. He located in Walla \\'alla 
county, where he worked on his father's farm 
until he became of age. As soon as he had 
attained his majority he took a pre-emption 
and bought railroad land until he was the 
owner of two hundred and eighty acres, but he 
later sold a portion of this to his father. In 
1883 he moved over into Whitman county, took 
a homestead and timber culture, and began 
farming there. He was a tiller of the soil in 
that county until 1895, then he came back t'3 
Walla Walla county, where he has since re- 
sided continuously. He now farms about four 
hundred acres of land, raising wheat as his 
principal crop. 

'Mr. Yeend is a thrifty, enterprising man, 
and a good citizen, ever ready to contribute 
his part toward the general progress. Hii 
standing in the community is of the highest. 
In fraternal connections he is a L'nited \\'ork- 
man. He was marrieil in Idaho, in 1883, to 
Miss Lydia Chandler, a native of England, and 
they have eight children: Ernest E., Edith M., 
Fred J. and Frank S., twins, Flora E., Will- 
iam A., 01i\e and Esther A. 



PATRICK AIARTIN, deceased, was a 
native of county Gahvay, Ireland, born De- 
cember 3, 1830. He received his education 
from a private teacher at home. When about 
nineteen he came to California, and for a 
number of years he was engaged in mining 
there, but in i8~o he removed tn Walla Walla 
county. He had been quite successful in min- 



492 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



ing ventures, both in California and in Mon- 
tana, and lie now decided to invest some of 
the proceeds in farm land. Accordingly he 
bought a quarter section six miles north of 
W'alla \\'alla, and to this he added more from 
time to time until he became very extensively 
interested in agricultural lands. He engaged 
extensively in wheat raising, becoming one 
of the largest producers of that cereal in the 
Inland Empire, and so continuing for a great 
many years. 

Mr. ]\Iartin was a very thrifty, enterpris- 
ing, energetic man, and a highly esteemed 
and respected citizen, and when, on February 
25, 1S97. he departed this life, he was mourned 
by a large circle of friends and neighbors. He 
married, in Vancouver, Washington,- in 1882. 
Miss Anastasia S. Sinnott, a native of Milwau- 
kee. Wisconsin, who still lives on the place 
where the family first settled after coming to 
this county. She has the title to eighteen 
hundred acres of land, about thirteen hundred 
of which she rents to other parties, while she 
and her sons farm about five hundred acres 
themselves. 

Mr. and ilrs. Martin became parents of 
five children, Thomas E., John J-. Nellie, Annie 
T. and Joseph F. 



SOL. HARD:\L\N.— Among the early pio- 
neers of Walla Walla county those who came 
here when the territory was an untamed wilder- 
ness, the haunt of the savage red man, and who 
by their persevering efforts and indomitable 
energy have developed its great natural fer- 
tility and ushered in the light of civilization, 
the man whose name gives caption to this para- 
graph is certainly deserving of an honored 
place, and it is with pleasure that we accord 



him representation in this volume as one of 
the builders of the valley. 

Mr. Hardman was born in Indiana in 
1844, and in the Hoosier state a few of his 
early 3ears were passed. When only eight 
years of age, however, he accompanied the re- 
mainder of the family on the long, tiresome 
and dangerous journey across the continent, 
the transportation facilities being those afford- 
ed by the ox-team and wagon. Arriving 
eventually in Linn county, Oregon, he was 
there permitted for a few brief years to enjoy 
the advantages afforded by the primitive pub- 
lic schools there established, but perhaps his 
most valuable education consisted of the les- 
sons of industry learned in cultivating the pa- 
rental farm. 

In May, 1859, our subject came to the site 
of the present city of Waitsburg, and from 
tl:at date until 1880 he was actively engaged 
in the basic industr}' of agriculture. He then 
moved into the town of Waitsburg and en- 
gaged in the business of handling stock, con- 
tinuing in the same until 1887, when he em- 
barked in the business in which we now find 
him. 

!Mr. Hardman has long been a factor in 
the public affairs of the county, and once 
served as deputy sheriff. He also has held the 
office of city marshal of Waitsburg. A pub- 
lic-spirited man and willing to do everything 
in his power for the advancement and de- 
velopment of the count)', he has, in the half 
century of his residence here, frequently con- 
tributed to public enterprises, and the com- 
munity has mau}^ times experienced material 
benefit from his being in it. 

In November, 1882, Mr. Hardman was 
married in Waitsburg to Miss Caroline A. 
Bruce, a member of a pioneer family of the 
county. They became parents of three chil- 





>; 



— . 1 




SOLOMON HARDMAN. 



MRS. SOLOMON HAKDMAN. 




NELSON. R. NORMAN. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



493 



dren, namely: ^laggie M., Xcllic AI. and 
Aaron F. Airs. Hardmau died August 6, 
1 888. 



NELSON R. NORMAN, whose residence 
in Walla \\'alla dates back to 1884, is a native 
of Denmark, born September 10, 1850. He 
was reared on a farm in his native land and 
given the advantages of the' superior public 
schools for which that country is noteil. 
After becoming a man, he fi>lIowed farming 
as an occupation until 1879. when he emigrated 
to the United States. His lirst home in the new 
world was in Fillmore county, Minnesota, where 
for three years he was engaged in tilling- the 
soil. The next two years were passed in the 
same occupation near Mapleton, North Dakota, 
in the Red River valley. 

Mr. Norman then came to Walla Walla, 
and entered the employ of Dr. Baker, for whom 
he worked until 1893. In that year he opened 
in business at 109 E. Main street, where he is 
still to be found. His fraternal connections 
are with the Eagles and the Red j\Ien. in 
1886, he was married in Walla Walla, to Aliss 
Kittie Nelson, a native of Germany, and they 
have one son, Grover Cleveland, who is an un- 
usually bright boy. His parents, with com- 
mendable generosity and wisdom, are giving 
him ihc advantage of a course of instruction in 
languages and music under the best teachers 
in Germany, and his progress thus far gives 
promise tliat he will become extraordinarily 
proficient in both these branches. 



ty, in 1864. He was educated in the public 
schools, then took a business course in Whit- 
man College, extending over a period of six 
full years. After leaving that institution he 
engaged in the grocery business, a line winch 
he followed for four years. During the en- 
suing three years he was a dealer in hay and 
grain, but he afterwards turnetl his attention 
to farming. He is now one of the well-to-do, 
thrifty tillers of the soil and is engaged in pro- 
ducing wheat, alfalfa and barley, and in hand- 
ling stock. 

As a man and a citizen his standing in the 
community is of the highest. He takes a lively 
interest in all public affairs, ever manifesting 
a willingness to contribute his share toward 
any enterprise which promises to advance the 
general welfare, and at different times serving 
as school director and as road overseer. 

In 1894, in Walla Walla county. Mr. 
Evans married Miss Anna Ingraham, a native 
of Ripon, Wisconsin, runl they have two chil- 
dren, Walter and Llovd Emniett. 



EMMETT E\'.\NS, a farmer resitling six 
miles northeast of Walla Walla, is a son of the 
west, having been born in Walla Walla coun- 



EUGENE BOURGEOIS, one of the 
thrifty and enterprising farmers of Walla Wal- 
la county, residing nine miles northeast of the 
city of Walla W^alla, is a native of Paris, 
France, but was brought to the United States 
when quite young. The family located in Illi- 
nois, and there Mr. Bourgeois grew to man's 
estate and received his education. As soon as 
he became old enough to do for himself he en- 
gaged in farming, and that has been his occu- 
pation all the time since. In 1877 he came to 
this county and located a homestead where we 
now find him. To this he has added from 
time to time until his entire farm now consists 
of four hundred and forty acres. He. like 



494 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



most of the otlier farmers in liis locality, gives 
most of his attention to wheat raising, though 
he is in some measure a diversified farmer. 
His industry and thrift, together with his many 
other good qualities as a man, ha\e won for 
him the esteem and regard of his neighbors gen- 
erally, lie was married, in Walla \\'alla 
county, in i8S8, to Miss Isabel Lang, a na- 
tive of \'irginia, and they have in their family 
three children, Charley, Frederick and Henry. 



HENRY INGALLS, a farmer five miles 
south of Waitsburg, is a native of Ohio, born 
in 1826. When he was four years old he was 
taken by his parents to St. Clair county. Illi- 
nois, and thence, shortly afterwards, to Boone 
county, same state, where he resided for five 
or six years. His next move was to Pike coun- 
ty, in which he grew to manhood and com- 
pleted his education. In 1849 his ambition to 
see the \\'est began to assert itself, and early 
that year he started across the plains with ox- 
teams. His lirst abiding place was Oregon 
City, where he was for a time engaged in the 
business of burning brick. Subsequently he 
went to Clackamas county, Oregon, and took 
a donation land claim of six hundred and forty 
acres. He did not remain long, however, but 
soon moved to Polk county, in which the en- 
suing four years of his life were passed. In 
1869 he came to \\'alla Walla county, and lo- 
cated on a homestead in the vicinity of W^aits- 
burg, and began farming there. He has at 
different times since purchased other tracts of 
land, until his entire holdings have grown to 
seven hundred and fourteen acres, all of it rich 
and well adapted for producing wheat. That ce- 
real is, naturally, his principal product, but he 
also raises many hogs and cattle. Mr. Ingalls 



had been an intenselv active man in his vouneer 
days, and possessed a wonderful power of 
physical endurance, and, even now, though sev- 
enty-four years old, he can perform athletic 
feats or dance a jig with as much agility as a 
boy of sixteen. He is fortunate in possessing a 
hap[)y, genial temperament, which makes him a 
universal favorite. He takes an active interest 
in the promotion of the general welfare, and his 
solicitude for the rising generation is shown by 
the fact that for twenty-four years he was 
school director. Mr. Ingalls has lieen thrice 
married. On January i, 1849, he wedded 
j\Iiss Sarah Jane Brents, who died in 185S, 
leaving four children: Mary N., deceased; 
Roxie J., deceased; William and Willis H. 
His second was with Sarah J. Roupe, who 
passed away in Oregon, after living with him 
about two and a half years. He married Mrs. 
Margaret E. Murphy, by whom he has two 
children, Otis D. and Ira L. Mrs. Ingalls also 
has two children by her former marriage. H. 
J. and Arthur C. 



THOMAS LYONS, a farmer residing two 
miles west of Walla Walla, is a native of Ire- 
land, born in 1834. He acquired his education 
in the public schools of his fatherland. When 
he became a luan he emigrated to Australia, 
where for the ensuing twelve years he followed 
mining as an occupation. He then returned to 
the land of his nativity, whence, after a short 
visit, he came to ^^'alla Walla. He took a 
homestead where his place of residence now is, 
and being an energetic, industrious man. he 
soon acquired more land, and he has continued 
to increase his real estate holdings until he now 
has twenty-eight hundred acres. Upon this 
inunense tract he raises wheat as his principal 
crop, though he also keeps some stock. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



495 



j\Ir. Lyons is a man of integrity and aljility, 
and his standing in the comnnmity in which he 
is best known is very flattering. In Australia, 
in 1858, he married jMiss Annie Tuohy, and 
to their union have been born nine children, 
five sons and four daughters. Two of the sons 
are now seeking their fortunes in Alaska. 



JOSHUA A. HOWARD, a farmer six 
miles northwest of Walla Walla, was born in 
Iowa in 1854. He passed the first ten years 
of his life there, but in 1864 accompanied his 
father on the long journey across the plains to 
Walla Walla valley. The famih? located on 
Russell creek, and tr.ere Mr. Howard complet- 
ed his public school education. After leav- 
ing the school room he worked on the parental 
homestead until eighteen years old, then rented 
a piece of land and started to work out the 
problem of existence for himself. He has been 
farming continuously ever since, his home at 
present being on Dry creek. He is a man of 
enterprise, and his qualities of heart and mind 
are such as to win for him the respect and es- 
teem of the community in which he resides. 
In religious persuasion he is a Methodist, his 
membership being placed in the Methodist 
Episcopal church of Walla Walla circuit. 

Mr. Howard married, in this county, in 
1877, Sarah A. Zaring, a native of Iowa, who 
crossed the plains in 1862, and to them were 
born six children. May, Jessie, Horace, Will- 
iam, Frank and Carroll. 



the public schools and in Whitman College, 
then worked for a number of years on his fa- 
ther's farm, but he later purchased land and 
became a tiller of the soil on his own account. 
He owns one hundred and sixty acres of land 
west of the place on which he lives, but he and 
his brother, L. O. Yenney, farm not only their 
own land, but much that is rented from other 
parties. The brothers are in partnership, and 
together farm about one thousand acres, rais- 
ing wheat as their principal crop, but not neg- 
lecting anything which they can, under their 
circumstances, produce with profit. They are 
thrifty, energetic young men, and will continue 
to contribute a large share towards the material 
development and progress of the county. They 
enjoy the esteem and good will of their neigh- 
bors generally. Mr. W. H. Yenney was mar- 
ried in Columbia county, Washington, in 1893, 
to Miss Cora Edgell. a native of Illinois. They 
have two children, Frank E. and Philip A. 



W. H. YEXXEY, a farmer residing four 
miles east of Walla Walla, was Ixirn in this 
county in 1869. He acquired his education in 



HEXRY LEE, a farmer residing seven 
and a half miles northwest of Walla \\'alla, 
is a native of Iowa, born in 1851. He resided 
there until twel\-e years old, then crossed the 
plains with ox-teams to this county, spending 
six months on the journey. The family lo- 
cated on Dry creek. Mr. Lee spent the remain- 
ing years of his minority in the public schools 
of Walla Walla and on his father's farm, 
i)ut as soon as he became of age he pur- 
chased land for himself and he has been 
engaged in farming ever since. At pres- 
ent he is the owner of a fine five-hundred- 
acre tract, all good farming land, and he raises 
about five hundred tons of alfalfa annually, 
besides large crops of wheat, also handling con- 
siderable stock. 



496 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Mr. Lee is a thrifty and indu.strious man, 
up-to-date in all his methods, and ever on the 
alert to take advantage of any opportunity that 
may ofifer. His standing in the community as 
a citizen and neighbor is of the highest. Our 
subject has been twice married. Li 1875 he 
wedded Mary Layrd, then a resident of Whit- 
man county, who died in 1884, leaving one 
daughter, ]Marj\ Li 1885 Mr. Lee was again 
married, the lady being Mary Loney, and of. 
this union seven children have been born : Rob- 
ert E., Charlotte, Roy, Edith, Loney, ^^laggie, 
and Walter U. 

Mr. Lee's father was a resident of this 
county, and one of its leading citizens from 
i860 to 1886, but in the latter year he sold out 
his large real estate interests and went to South 
America. He was there a year, then went back 
to his old home in Luliana, where he resided 
until his death, which occurred in 1898. 



PHILIP RITZ, deceased.— As has been 
stated in other portions of this work, the man 
whose name gives caption to this article was 
prominent among those who in early days in- 
troduced and developed the fruit industry of 
the county, that industry which has since as- 
sumed such gigantic proportions, and has 
brought so many millions of dollars into the 
pockets of our citizens, from so many parts 
of the United States and the world. He held 
some very important positions of trust, dis- 
charging his duties in each instance in such a 
manner as to win the confidence and esteem of 
those with whom he came in contact and so 
ordering his life in public and in private as to 
retain the good will and regard of all. 

In business our subject was a nurseryman 
and orchardist from 1863 to the time of his 



death, which unfortunate event occurred Feb- 
ruary 6, 1889, at the old home place where the 
family reside. JNIr. Ritz was, however, inter- 
ested in almost every line of business in vogue 
iii the county in which he lived, farming, fruit- 
raising, railroad-building and general improve- 
ment. He served as United States marshal 
one term, but the service for which he w'ill, per- 
haps be longest remembered is that which he 
performed in connection with the Northern 
Pacific Railroad Company. He crossed the 
continent three times for thj purpose of in- 
fluencing congress to make appropriations of 
public lands in aid of the road, thus to hasten 
its construction, making one of these trips on 
horseback. In consideration of this great 
service, the people in the vicinity of the present 
town of Ritzville named the town after him. 

W. A. Ritz, son-in-law of our subject, also 
a very prominent orchardist. was born in 
Woodbury county, Iowa, on January 29, 1865. 
He received his education in the public schools 
and in Cornell College of [Mount \'ernon. Iowa, 
and after graduating taught school two years. 
He then embarked in the general merchandise 
business at Sargent's Blufi. Iowa, remaining in 
the same between the years 1886 and 1889. 
He then came to Walla ^^'alla and engaged in 
the nursery business, follow^ing that industry 
for eight consecutive years, then turning his 
attention to fruit culture on their place of one 
hundred acres, eighty of which are in fruits 
of many varieties, situated about a mile south 
of town. As stated elsewhere in tliis volume, 
he has one of the finest orchards in the county, 
and has long been regarded as one of the best 
and most expert fruit raisers and handlers 
within its borders. He was president of the 
Walla ^^■alla Fruit Fair for two years and has 
been elected to act in the same capacity ne.xt 
vear. Mr. Ritz was married in Lewiston, 





■■1 


i^H 


^^v^H 






^^H 

^^^^^^H 


K^l 


Ibji3 


H 


m 



SAMUEL K. LONEY. 



PHILLIP RITZ. 



SOLOMON DINGES. 





ALEXANUKK JOHNSON 



WM. C. JOHNSON. 






JOHN PICARD. 



THOMAS A. RUSSELL. 



J. E. BERRYMAN. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



497 



Idaho, September 15, 1897, the lady being Miss 
Hattie Ritz, a native of Walla Walla county. 
Her mother, Mrs. Philip Ritz, a pioneer of 
1863, lives on the home place and continues 
to manage the estate. She was born in Jeffer- 
son county, Tennessee, in 1835, crossed the 
plains in 1852, was married to Philip Ritz in 
1S55, and moved with him to her present home 
in 1863. 



SOLOMON DINGES, a farmer and fruit 
grower on Spring Branch creek, a pioneer of 
1877, is a native of Center county, Pennsyl- 
vania, born September 26, 1835. He remained 
on his father's farm for the first nineteen years 
of his life, assisting with the work and attend- 
ing public schools, but in 1S54 he removed 
to Millheim, Pennsylvania, to learn the trade 
of a cabinetmaker. He served an apprentice- 
ship of two years without pay, then traveled for 
four years through Illinois and Iowa, building 
barns and grist mills, dwelling houses, etc., do- 
ing all kinds of carpenter work and millwright- 
ing. He was working at West Union, when an 
entire settlement was massacred by Indians 
just over the line in Minnesota. 

Returning at length to Pennsylvania, Mr. 
Dinges assisted his father on the old home 
place for three years, then resumed the pur- 
suit of liis trade, erecting saw and grist mills 
in ^lifilin county, for the ensuing four years. 
His father removed to Stevenson county, Illi- 
nois, and Mr. Dinges again took his abode with 
him, but continued to work at his handicraft. 
In the fall of 1876, he came to San Francisco, 
thence, after a residence of only a few days, to 
Portland, Oregon, where he met his father's 
cousin, Adam Brown, who had helped build the 
first wagon road over the Rocky mountains. 
The following spring he came to Walla Walla 



valley, homesteaded land on the Snake river, 
and combined farming with carpenter work 
and millwrighting. He acquired quite a large 
tract of land in that locality, but not liking the 
place, he at length sold out, moved into Walla 
Walla, and opened a hotel on Cherry street. 

He followed this business in various parts 
of the city about four years, but, eventually tir- 
ing of it, sold his interests, and purchased two. 
hundred acres of land on Spring Branch creek, 
where we now find him. He has sold small 
tracts from his original farm until there are 
now seven families living on the old home place, 
and until his own holdings have been reduced 
to twenty-four acres. On this he is raising 
fruit principally and some alfalfa hay. Like 
other pioneers, he has had his share of trouble 
with the Indians. He has worked in the har- 
vest field when it was necessary that he and his 
men should be heavily armed at all times and 
when the towns were constantly guarded for 
m.onths. 

j\Ir. Dinges was married in Mifflin county, 
Pennsylvania, January 17, 1865, to Miss Mary 
E. Culbertson, a native of that state, but of 
English descent. They had one child, Gracie, 
deceased when eight years old. Mr. Dinges'' 
first ancestor in America, Philip Dinges, came 
from Strasberg over three hundred years ago, 
and Mrs. Dinges' grandfather came from Eng- 
land in colonial days, and fought in the Revolu- 
tionary war. 



SAMUEL K. LONEY, coal and wood 
dealer in Walla Walla, a resident of the valley 
since 1879, was born in the vicinity of Guelpli, 
Ontario, on December 28, 1859. He resided 
in his fatherland until about eighteen years old, 
completing the course offered by the excellent 
public schools for which that province is noted. 



498 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUXTY. 



and afterwards working on his father's farm. 
In 1879. lie came to the United States, and 
before the year was passed he had located in 
Walla Walla. For a number of years after 
his arrival, he followed farming as a wage 
Avorker, but in 1892 he started in the wood 
and coal business, first as agent for the Roslyn 
IMining Company, and afterward on his own 
account. From the very first he attended to 
business so strictly and conscientiously as to 
win many friends, and his trade has continued 
to increase until it now requires the constant 
use of three teams and necessitates the employ- 
ment of an office man for bookkeeping and 
other clerical work. 

Mr. Loney took up a homestead and timber 
culture between ilill creek and Drj- creek, in 
1S81, and when he had made final proof on 
these, he filed on a pre-emption in Umatilla 
county, Oregon. He afterwards sold all three 
of these claims and bought five hundred and 
tlnrty-seven acres on Mill creek, four miles west 
of Walla W'alla, which he still ow-ns and farms, 
raising wheat principally. IVIr. Loney is a 
good business man, a successful farmer and an 
honored and esteemed member of society. He 
was married in Walla Walla in 1894 to Miss 
Sarah Hastings, a native of Kansas, and they 
have had two children, Charlotte, living, and 
Edward, deceased. The family are members 
<jf the First Baptist church of ^^'alla \\'alla. 



JOHNSON BROS., consisting of Alex- 
ander, William C. and Samuel D. Johnson, 
all pioneers of the AValla Walla valley, farmers 
and sheep raisers, were lx)rn, the two older in 
Ireland, the younger, Samuel D., in New York. 
All were educated in the public schools of New 
Y''ork state, and all learned the trade of carriage 



niaking. For a number of 3'ears, Alexander 
maintained a shop in New Hartford, New 
York, and William C. worked with him, but in 
]\Iarch, 1877, the latter caine out to California. 
A year later, he removed to Walla Walla val- 
ley, where he had his first experience in hand- 
ling sheep. He entered the employ of Henry 
Adams, and herded for him during the Ban- 
nock war, defying all danger from Indians, al- 
though the warriors passed so close to him that 
the soldiers, following their trail, came within 
sight of his camp. As soon as he had accumu- 
lated sufficient capital and experience, he en- 
gaged in the business on his own account, form- 
ing, for the purpose, a partnership w'ith Mr. 
Samuel Ash. 

In 1S83, the other two brothers also came 
out to the valley. Samuel went to work on 
his brother's ranch, while Alexander continued 
to follow his trade in Waitsburg and after- 
wards in Walla Walla. In 1885, the present 
partnership was formed, and since 1891 all the 
brothers ha\'e given their attention to their 
farming and herds, to the exclusion of all other 
industries. They have ten thousand acres of 
land, six thousand sheep, fifty head of cattle and 
fifty horses, and they farm about one hundred 
acres to alfalfa hay and two hundred acres to 
wheat, retaining the rest for pasture. Their 
average annual wool clip is between five thou- 
sand and six thousand pounds. Thus by their 
thrift and energy they have acquired a com- 
petency, and attained a rank among the lead- 
ing farmers and stock raisers of their section. 
William C. is identified with the F. & A. M. 
fraternity, and Alexander with the I. O. O. F. 
Alexander Johnson, the only one of the brothers 
who has ever been married, wedded Miss Katie 
M. Healey in New Hartford. New York. Oc- 
tober 10, 18 



They have one son, William 
K., who was in Company I. First Washington 



//• 



HISTORY OF \\^\LLA WALLA COUNTY. 



499 



Volunteers, and through the PhiHppine war. 
Mr. Johnson was again married in Walla 
Walla. September 22. 1891, to Miss Maggie 
A. Lewis, a native of Kansas, and to this imion 
one son has been born, Terry A. 

Miss Ella M., only sister of the brothers, 
is with them on the ranch keeping house, hav- 
ing joined them in October, 1891, after the 
death of their mother at New Hartford, New 
York, May 15, 1891. The latter had been a 
resident of that city since coming to America 
iri 1852, and there her husband, the father of 
our subjects, had died on January 24, 1854. 



JOHN PICARD, deceased, a pioneer of 
1857, was born in Germany, February 7, 1838. 
He was, however, only twelve years of age 
when he came to America, and a part of his 
education was acquired here. When seven- 
teen, he enlisted in the L'nited States regular 
army, was sent with the remainder of his com- 
pcny to the coast, and became a factor in quell- 
ing the various Indian uprisings of the early 
days. At the close of his term of enlistment, 
he was discharged at Fort Lapwai. Idaho. He 
then visited \\'alla \\'alla, but took a trip to 
Europe before permanently settling here. 

Upon his return, Mr. Picard went to work 
as a carpenter, and for ten years thereafter he 
was one of the builders of the city. In 1870, 
however, he instituted an undertaking estab- 
lishment here, the first in \\'alla Walla, and he 
remained an undertaker until November 2, 
1892, when he died. 

Mr. Picard was for many years prominently 
connected with the municipal government of 
this city, serving as councilman for eight 
terms, and for two as chief of the fire depart- 
ment. .\ pu1)lic-si'irited man, he was always 



active in promoting the interests of the city, 
and ever ready to contribute his full share to- 
ward the establishment of any worthy public 
or semi-public enterprise. 

In Walla Walla, on January 28, 1872, he 
married Miss Clara J. Conover, a native of 
California, whose father crossed the plains with 
ox-teams in 1853. They became parents of 
five children, Mary, wife of Frank Borst, of 
Walla Walla; Dora, now Mrs. Harry Debus; 
Annie, wife of L. Douglass, a railway brake- 
man; Stella, wife of Adrien Buys, and Thomas. 
Mrs. Picard still has charge of the undertaking 
parlors, which are situated at the corner of First 
and Alder streets. She is a member of the 
Women of Woodcraft. 



THOMAS A. RUSSEL, deceased, former- 
ly a lawyer, later a farmer four miles southwest 
of Walla Walla, a pioneer of the coast of 1849, 
was born in \\^arren, Ohio, on September 26, 
1 83 1. \Vhen quite young, he was taken to the 
western part of the state, by his parents, who, 
after living for brief periods in other parts, 
finally settled in Williams count}', where our 
subject acquired his primary education. 

In the spring of 1849, ^I''- Riissel crossed 
the [jlains with a mixed team of horses and 
oxen, arriving in California in the fall of the 
same year. He engaged in mining for a time, 
but in 1850 returned to Ohio, making the trip 
in a sailing vessel via Cape Horn. Again, in 
1852, he made the long and tedious journey 
across the ])lains, returning shortly to Ohio, 
this time via the Panama route. After his 
arrival he took a course of general study and 
a year in law at Miami University, in Ohio, but 
finished his legal studies under Ex-Governor 
lioadley, of Ohio, then a professor in a law 

( 



500 



HISTORY OF WALLA W ALLA COUXTY, 



scliool. He graduatetl with the ilegree of L. B. 
in Juno. iS(>i. 

In the spring of 1863. our subject again 
started across tiie phiins to Cahfornia as the 
leafier of a train of thirty-three wagons, all 
drawn hv horses. Five months after his ar- 
rival, he returned hv water to Ohio, accom- 
panied b)' his father, who was also with him on 
the first trip. The cholera broke out among 
the people of the ship and many died on the 
journey, luu Mr. Riisscl arri\cd safely, ami, 
nothing tlamited by the hardships and dangers 
he had undergone, the next spring crossed the 
plains a fourth time. The privations, uncer- 
tainties and dangers of this life on the plains 
can ne\er be fully appreciated by people of a 
younger generation, but all can form some idea 
of the courage and endurance reiiuired for 
four extensive trips through an untamed wilder- 
ness infested with blood thirsty savages. 

On again arriving in California. Mr. Rus- 
sel engaged in quartz mining in the Meadow 
Lake country, where he remained until 1868. 
He was admitted to the bar of California, but 
did not practice there. In 1868, however, he 
remove<l to Missouri, and began the pursuit 
of his chosen profession, though he also 
taught school some, and served as United States 
deputy marshal for a time. He was notary 
l)ublic in Bowling Green, Missouri, for a period 
of eighteen years. 

In i8S«), Mr. Russel came to \\'alla Walla 
county, purcha.^cd a farm and engaged in di- 
versified agriculture, an industry which he 
followed continuously and successfully until 
his death. Though he never manifested anv 
ambition for a political career since coming to 
this valley, he was recognized as one of the 
leading and representative men of the county, 
and highly respected by all. 

In .\pril, 1864, in the vicinitv of Edgerton, 



Ohio, oin- subject married Miss Mary C. Will- 
man, a nati\c of l.i\erpool, Ohio, who crossed 
the plains with him on his last trip. Her 
parents and his were neighbors during pioneer 
days in Ohio, and he and Miss Willman were 
school mates and childhood friends. To their 
union were born ten cliildren. but only five 
are still living. The family affiliated with the 
First Christian church of Walla Walla. 

Mr. Russel's death occurred on January 5, 
lyoi, after an illness of only fnur days. His 
remains arc buried in Walla Walla ccmeterv. 



J. E. BERRYMAX. a farmer residing at 
Berryman postoftice, was born in Englaml, in 
1836. The first twelve years of his life were 
passed in his fatherland, but, at that early age, 
he emigrated to Wisconsin, where he hail his 
first experience in mining. In 1854, he joined 
the rush to the gold fields of California, and 
for five years thereafter he followed mining in 
the Golden state. His adventurous spirit then 
led him to Australia, where for two years 
more he continued the search for hicUlen 
treasure. 

Returning to California in 1839. Mr. Berry- 
man remained there until 1861. when he came 
to Walla Walla county, lie went that same 
summer into the mountains in Idaho, and be- 
fore the season was passed came to the Elk 
City mines, whence late in the fall he went to 
Florence, and to him belongs the honor of be- 
ing one of the party which discovered the mine 
there. He remained in that region during the 
years 1861 and 186 J, and thereuixin went back 
to Wisconsin on a visit. Before returning, he 
also took a trip to England. Coming back to 
America in May, 1863, he went to work in 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



501 



tlic lead mines of Wisconsin, whence the fol- 
lowing year he removed to Montana, in w liich 
state he followed mining until 1869. 

Mr. Berryman then brought his family to 
Walla Walla, but he was not yet ready to give 
up the search for nature's hidden treasure, 
so made trips to the I'owder river country; to 
Butte City and to Florence. While his home 
was in Walla Walla, he also took contracts in 
building and moving houses and in constructing 
bridges for the county. He was the first street 
commissioner Walla Walla ever harl and his 
duties in connection with that office were nat- 
urally very onerous. 

In 1878, our subject took a homestead 
where he now lives, subsequently purchasing a 
half-section of railway land and to this he has 
added betimes since until his realty holrl- 
ings now aggregate two anrl a half sections. 
He is extensively engaged in the production of 
wheat, but also raises cattle and horses. Being 
the first to locate in his neighborhof d, he had 
to perform many acts which are ordinarily a 
part of the public duties, such as constructing 
roads around the hills, hunting up corner posts, 
etc. He and two other men bought lumber at 
Dayton, hauled the same to a suitable site and 
constructed the first schoolhouse in the place. 

Mr. Berrj^man has never lost interest in 
mining, but has devoted a portion of his time 
and attention to it during all the years of his 
residence here. He is an energetic, progres- 
sive man and carries a degree of determination 
and zeal into whatever he undertakes sufficient 
to carry it to a successful issue if there is any 
possibility. He has long been considered one* 
of the leading wheat producers of the state. 

In England, in the year 1863, he married 
Mary Berryman, a native of that country, and 
they became parents of twelve children. 



L. O. YENXEY. — Among the young men 
who claim this county as their birthplace and 
who have so (ordered their lives as to reflect 
credit ujjon the community of their nativity 
and the institutions which have developed their 
powers and given direction to their energies, 
is the man whose career it is now our jjurpo-se 
to refer to liricfly. 

Mr. Yenney was born here in 1872, and his 
education was such as the local public scIkkjIs 
afford, sup])lementcd by a partial course in 
Whitman College. Upon retiring from the 
latter institution, he embarked in the basic in- 
dustry, agriculture, and to that he has devoted 
his energies assiduously ever since. He is in 
partnership with his brother, W. H. Yenney, 
and, as relaterl in our remarks concerning that 
gentleman, is interested with him in the culti- 
vation of about one thousanrl acres oi land, 
upon which they raise wheat principally. 

Mr. "!>'enney is a thrifty, energetic young 
man. jjossessed of all the traits of character 
which go to insure success and tf) win the con- 
fidence and esteem of those with whom he may 
be in any way connected, whether •■< (i.-dlv ' r in 
business. 



THOMAS J. SWEZEA, rleceased, a pio- 
neer of 1859, was born in Tennessee in 1809. 
He spent his early youth there, then, came to 
southeastern Missouri, where he lived until, in 
1859, he started across the jjlains to the west. 
He made the journey in the usual way for those 
days, bringing quite a herrl of cattle with him. 
Locating in the city of Walla Walla, he spent 
two years there, after which he moved to the 
Oregon line, eight miles southeast of the city, 
purchased land anrl engaged in farming. He 
was there for a number of years, running his 



S02 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUXTY. 



five-luindred-acre farm, and raising grain and 
cattle, but he at length retired to Walla Walla, 
where he passed the remainder of his days. He 
died in that city in 1887. While in Missouri 
lie married Miss Lucinda Swezea, and to them 
Avere born nine children, five of whom are still 
living. 

Charles L. Swezea, one of his sons, now a 
farmer eight miles southeast of \\'alla Walla, 
has the distinction of being the first white male 
child born in Walla \\*alla, the date of his ad- 
vent into this life being July 6, 1S60. He 
passed his early years in the public schools of 
the county and on his father's farm, but on 
attaining his majority started in life for him- 
self. For a while he rented land of his father, 
but as soon as circumstances would permit he 
purchased a place of his own, and to his orig- 
inal holdings he has kept adding until he now 
has three hundred and twenty acres in all. He 
is engaged in raising wheat and barley prin- 
cipally, though he also gives some attention to 
the other farm products. He is one of the pro- 
gressive and thrifty farmers of the neighbor- 
hood, and is well thought of as a man and citi- 
zen. Fraternally he is identified with the A. 
O. L'. A\'. In this county, in 1883, he mar- 
ried Miss Margaret A. Davis, and they became 
parents of four children, Bessie A., Flinn .\.. 
deceased, Grace A., and one daughter who died 
in infancv. 



JOSEPH L. MILLER, proprietor of the 
lodging house at 49 E. Main street, is a pioneer 
of October 14, 1850. He was born in Xew 
York August 10, 1S23, and in that state he 
grew to manhood and was educated. For a 
number of years he followed farming, hut in 
1 85 J he removed, via the isthmus, to San Fran- 



cisco and turned his attention to mining. He 
subsequently settled in the present Oakland, 
\\here for a time he was engaged in getting out 
the timber for a wharf. Between 1854 and 
1858, he devoted his entire energies to mining 
in the Feather river and Rabbit creek countries, 
realizing good results. He then went into busi- 
ness in A'ictoria, British Columbia, but sold 
out in 1862, to go into the Caribou mines, where 
he followed the packing business for a couple 
of years. 

Returning- then to Vancouver islaml, Mr. 
Miller purchased beef cattle a while for the 
\^ictoria markets, but in October. 1865, he re- 
moved to Walla Walb. bought a farm five miles 
west of the town, and engaged in agriculture 
and stock raising. He took great pride in 
the rearing of thoroughbred cattle, more than 
once capturing prizes at the fairs. In 1884. 
he sold out and went back East on a two years' 
visit. Upon his return, he embarked in a car- 
riage and wagon business, a line which en- 
gaged his energies for about four years, after 
which he retired from business for a while. 

In 1893, after his return from a trip 
to the World's Fair, Mr. Miller bought a 
glove factory, and engaged in that indus- 
try. Selling out in 1896. lie turned his 
attention to the lodging house business, 
purchasing for the purpose the furniture 
and good will of the place ii> which we 
now find him. Mr. Miller was also a charter 
member of the \\'alla \\"alla Savings bank. 
Indeeil his versatility is truly wonderful, enab- 
ling him to conduct successfully a great variety 
of ilitterent enterprises. It is equaled only by 
his great courage, and the Titanic energj- dis- 
played in his earlier years. 

Mr. Miller was married in Jefferson coun- 
t}-, Xew York, April 19, 1883. to Emma 
Cheeseman, a native of Richmond, Virginia. 





JOSEPH Iv. MILLER. 



MRS. JOSEPH L. MILLER. 






MARSHALL C. SEEKE. 



JOHN MANION. 



SAMUEL JOHNSON. 





C. J. BOWERS. 



MRS. C. J. BOWERS. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



503 



JOHN .AFAXION. a general orclianlist at 
the south cud of Short street, Walla Walla, 
a pioneer of August 14, 1859, was horn in Ire- 
land, ]\Larch 14, 182S. He hegan his eduea- 
tion there, but finished it in Saratoga county, 
New York, whither he came when fifteen years 
old. Removing subsequently to Livingston 
county, he farmed there for various large land 
owners during a period of five years. He then 
moved to M(jrgan county, Illinois, where he 
farmed until 1856, hut in May of that year he 
came to Lawrence, Kansas. 

A few days after his arrival, Mr. Manion 
met James Lane, and engaged with him and 
his troops in keeping out southern sympa- 
thizers, thus saving the state to the L^nion. 
\Mien the Second Dragoons, afterwards known 
as the Second United States Cavalry, arrived, 
their entire company was captured, but Mr. 
]\Lanion was soon released and engaged as a 
flriver in the ser\-ice of the quartermaster. In a 
very short t'me he was promoted to train mas- 
ter, a position which he held until 1861. He ac- 
companied Lieutenant Livingstone to Mount- 
ain Meadows in 1858, to bury the bones of 
those emigrants who had been massacred there 
by the ^lormons in the previous year, and he 
had the pleasure of personally rescuing three 
of the children who were captured in that hor- 
rible afifair. 

In May, 1859, our subject arrived in Walla 
Walla, after marching all the way from Utah. 
He remained at Fort Walla Walla as wagon 
train master until May, 1861, when he took a 
homestead on the Touchet river. He was there 
seventeen years, but in 1878 he sold his farm 
and removed to his present residence. He is 
now the owner of three acres and four lots 
within the city limits, upon which he is rais- 
ing a great many varieties of fruit trees and 
vines. He takes great pride in cultivating and 



producing fine fruits. During all the Indian 
trouljles, Mr. Manion remained on his place 
(jn the Touchet ri\-er, but he had so won the 
confidence and esteem of the red men by his 
uniform fair treatment of them that he was 
never molested. 

Mr. Manion was a member of the city 
council for the four years following 1886, and 
during that time advocated and urged that the 
city should buy the water system, which could 
then have been secured for seventy-five thou- 
sand dollars. He was outvoted, however, and 
the city had to pay two hundred and fifty 
thousand dollars for the same property at a 
later date. Had his fellow councilman, or a 
majority of them, possessed the foresight with 
which he was gifted they could have saved 
to the tax-payers of Walla \Valla the difference 
between these two sums, besides the revenues 
which would have accrued in all these years. 

]\Ir. Alanion was married in Walla Walla, 
on December 24, 1859, to Mrs. Mary Bishop, 
who died without issue on September 13, 
1888. 



MARSHALL C. SEEKE, foreman in 
Quinn's Harness shop, Walla Walla, is a pio- 
neer of November 13, 1858. He was born in 
Jamestown, New York, July 8, 1834, but re- 
ceived his education in New Castle, Pennsyl- 
vania, where his parents moved when he was 
five years old. 

In 1852 he came out to Iowa, and there he 
worked as a harness-maker for two years. In 
1854, however, he set out across the plains to 
California, traveling with ox-teams, .\ftcr a 
jf)urney of nearly six months duration he 
reached Sacramento, where he was engaged in 
n-.ining for nearly three years, going next to 
The Dalles, Oregon. He worked at his handi- 



504 



HISTORY OF WALLA \\'ALLA COUXTY. 



craft there for several months, but at length 
came on to \\'alla ^^'alla, located a homestead 
on Dry creek, seven miles northeast of that city, 
and tumed his attention to fanning. His was 
the first claim located under General Harney. 
After two years experience in pioneer farming 
jNIr. Seeke engaged in mining and freighting, 
and he was fortunate enough to discover sev- 
eral good mining prospects in the Boise Basin. 
He continued to follow mining and prospecting 
there and in the vicinity of \Valla \\'alla until 
i860, then entered the service of Mr. Thomas 
Ouinn. by whom he has been employed almost 
constantly since. It is still his custom, how- 
■ever. to spend a portion of each summer travel- 
ing with a team. Mr. Seeke is a typical pio- 
neer, and possesses the sturdy manhood and 
<launtless physical courage which life on the 
forefront of civilization is so well calculated to 
develop. 

Mr. Seeke was married during the early 
days to Charlotte, an Indian woman, who died 
m Walla W'Ma in 1866, leaving two daugh- 
ters: Alice, now wife of Robert Henderson, 
and Louise, now Mrs. Albert Tabor. Mr. 
Seeke was next married in 1877, to Rachael 
Clough. a native of Ohio. 



SAMUEL JOHXSOX.— The venerable 
pioneer whose name gives caption to this para- 
graph was born in Scioto county, Ohio. July 
15. 1 82 1. When five years old he was taken 
l\v his parents to Tippecanoe county, Indiana, 
■where he lived on a farm until 1831, removing 
then with the remainder of the family to 
Mhite county in the same state. His educa- 
tional facilities were those afforded by the pio- 
neer log schoolhouse, presided over by pioneer 
teachers, and when school was not in session 



he learned self-reliance and industry in the 
battle with primeval conditions. 

In 1S40 he removed to Caldwell county, 
Missouri, where his home was for the next 
decade, though he spent tlie winters of 1S47 
and 1848 at Ash Hollow on the Platte river 
in X'ebraska, as an employe of the St. Louis 
Fur Company, for which he drove a team. 
It will be remembered that X'ebraska was then 
the home and exclusive possession of the Chey- 
enne Indians. Mr. Johnson recalls having met 
Joe Meeks there in 1848, the latter being then 
en route to \\'ashington, bearing dispatches 
telling of the Whitman massacre. It was fre- 
quently his good fortune, after coming to the 
coast, to meet this same gentleman in Portland. 
Oregon. Our subject also recalls that while 
on his return from X'ebraska to his home in 
Missouri, he met at St. Joseph. Missouri. Gov- 
ernor Lane, who was then on his way to Ore- 
gon fo assume gubernatorial charge of that 
territory. 

In the spring of 1S49. ^I^- Johnson came 
to Grand Island on the Platte river as a drover 
with the cattle of Colonel Loring. who was 
then on his way to The Dalles. Oregon, with 
the X'inth Infantry. Returning to his home 
in Missouri, he then began projecting plans 
for coming west, and the next summer he set 
out across the plains with ox-teams toward the 
Occident, arriving at The Dalles. Oregon, 
about October 15, 1850. Going thence to 
Portland. Oregon, he wintered there, busying 
himself in making shingles for Colonel Lons- 
dale. From Portland he went to Yreka. Cali- 
fornia, but after spending one season in min- 
ing he returned to Oregon, located at Salem, 
and engaged in farming a donation land claim 
of half a section. In 1855, he came north with 
the intention of going into the Colville min- 
ing region, but when he reached the junction 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



505 



of the Palouse and Snake rivers, he met so 
many returning prospectors who pronounced 
the country no good that he decided to return 
to the Willamette valley. 

When the Cayuse war of 1855-6 broke 
out he took service with the Oregon volun- 
teers as wagon master, and he continued to act 
as such until the close of hostilities, thereupon 
entering the employ of the general government 
as assistant wagon master in the Indian de- 
partment. He was present at the signing of 
the treaty between Governor Stevens on the 
one hand and Chiefs Joseph and Kamiackan 
on the other, the scene of this noteworthy 
event being a point on Mill creek seven miles 
above Walla Walla. Upon retiring from the 
service, he returned to the Willamette valley 
and worked as a laborer until the fall of 1858, 
when he came to W^alla Walla. He did not 
permanently remain this time, however, for 
in the spring of 1859 we find him again en 
route for The Dalles. Entering the service 
of Humison & Company he was employed as 
wagon master at their portage until 1861, 
when he came again to Walla Walla. 

In 1862 our subject accompanied Dan 
Drumheller to British Columbia with a drove 
of cattle. For three years after his return he 
gave his attention to freighting from Walla 
Walla to the old Boise mines, using for the 
purpose a train of pack mules, but about 1865 
he settled on a farm on Dry creek, just over 
the Oregon line, where he followed farming 
and cattle and slieep raising continuously un- 
til 1897, in which year he removed into Walla 
Walla, which had been his home town all these 
years. 

On June 9, 1870, Mr. Johnson married 
Mrs. Catherine Wright, a native of Tennessee 
and a pioneer of this section of 1859, and they 
became parents of two children: Ella J., wife 



of J. H. Raymer, a farmer on Dry creek, in 
Oregon; and Viola E., at home with her par- 
ents. Mrs. Johnson also has three children by 
her first marriage, Robert, William E. and 
Josephine, the last-named being now wife of 
Guy Fruit, of Loomis, Okanogan county. 
Mrs. Johnson is an invalid, and has been unable 
to walk for the past eight years. The fam- 
ily live in a pleasant home of their own at the 
corner of Whitman and Palouse streets. 



C. J. BOWERS, a farmer residing six 
miles northwest of Walla Walla, was born in 
Maryland in 1867. He remained in his na- 
tive state until eight years old, then accom- 
panied his parents to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 
where he spent a year. He then resided for 
two years in Peoria, Illinois, attending the 
public schools, after which he passed a year 
and a half in the schools of Topeka, Kansas. 
From that city, in 1882, he came to Waits- 
burg, this county, where he completed his pub- 
lic school training, though he afterwards 
spent three years as a student in Huntsville 
Seminary. When he started in life he chose 
farming as his occupation, but he purchased a 
threshing machine and also operated it dur- 
ing the harvest seasons. 

At first Mr. Bowers was compelled to rent 
lan.d, having none of his own, but he is now 
the owner of a fine tract of si.xteen hundred 
acres, all good farming land. He is one of the 
most extensive wheat raisers in the county, 
and one of its most industrious and successful 
farmers. His energy and force of character 
are evident from the fact that, starting prac- 
tically without means, he has worked his way 
to a position of prominence among the ex- 
tensive wheat producers of a county noted for 



So6 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



its mammoth farms. He lias also taken a 
lively and intelligent interest in the political 
welfare of the county, and has long been a 
leader in the counsels of the Democratic party. 
In 1900, he was a candidate of that organiza- 
tion for the office of county commissioner. 

^Ir. Bowers was married in Morrow coun- 
ty. Oregon, in 1S88, to Laura V. Coplen, a 
member of an old pioneer family, and of their 
marriage have been born three children, Harry 
C, \'iolet B. and George \\". 



PHILIP YEXXEY, a retired farmer, is 
a native of Germany, born in 1S34. He lived 
in his fatherland until tifteen years old, and 
received a part of his education over there. 
After arriving in America he traveled quite ex- 
tensively, but finally settled in Virginia, where 
he resided for four j-ears. He moved thence 
to Iowa, which was his home state until i860, 
in which year he crossed the plains with ox- 
teams to this state. The winter of 1S61-62, 
being the second he passed in the new country, 
was a very trying one for him as he lost all of 
his stock. The family lived for the most part 
on wheat ground by hand in a coffee mill, but 
with the spring catne brighter days. 

For several years Mr. Yenney was engaged 
in the freightingf industrv. For the three vears 
subsequent to 1865 he was in a trading post 
at California ranch, Spokane county, and while 
there he built, in 1864 and "65, what afterwards 
became known as Cowley's bridge. He had a 
store near the place, and was part-owner in the 
bridge before it was purchased by Mr. Cowley. 
Subsequently, however. Mr. Yenney bought 
land in Walla Walla county, and settled down 
to the life of a farmer. In course of time he 
became the owner of a large tract of land, and 



is now one of the most extensive wheat pro- 
ducers in this section of the county. He also 
raises a great many head of cattle every year. 
In fact the phenomenal energy and ambi- 
tion of our subject have led him into all lines 
of industry, and made him a powerful force 
in the industrial development of the county. 
\\'hen his boys became old enough to know 
the value of school privileges he moved into 
town for their benefit, and he has been a resi- 
dent of Walla Walla ever since. He married, 
in Iowa, in 1857, Miss Rachael Winnett, and 
they becariie parents of eight children: John 
F. ; Sarah, deceased; Thomas, deceased; Ruth, 
deceased ; Robert ; William H. ; Louis O. : and 
^largaret. 



RICHARD J. BERRYMAX. a fanner 
residing at Berryman postoffice during sum- 
mer and in Walla Walla during winter, is 
a son of \\'isconsin, born in 1864. He only 
passed a few months in his native state, as 
his parents early moved to ^lontana, where he 
resided until seven years old. In 1871 he 
came to \\"alla Walla county, and his home 
has been here ever since. He acquired a pub- 
lic school education, then, though still under 
age, started in life for himself. He bought 
land near what is now known as Berryman 
postoffice, also obtained more from the gov- 
ernment by the use of his homestead privi- 
leges. He now owns four hundred and eighty 
acres, all of which he farms, together with 
from one to two hundred acres of rented 
land. He is engaged almost exclusively in 
the production of wheat and barley. 

^Ir. Berryman is one of the representative 
men in his section of the country, and takes 
a leading part in the promotion of the cause 
of education and in the movement for better 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



507 



roads. He is at present school director and 
road supervisor. Fraternally he is affiliated 
with the United \\^orkinen. He was mar- 
ried in Lewiston, Idaho, September 25, 1883, 
to Miss Gertrude Hilbourne, a native of 
England, wlio came to the United States witli 
her mother in 1879. They have two children, 
Chiselete and Gwendoline. The family are 
members of the Episcopal church of Walla 
\\'alla. 



AIARTIN F. KELLY.— Those who be- 
lieve that concentration is the secret of suc- 
cess may find confirmation in the life and ex- 
perience of the man whose career is here 
briefly outlined. Mr. Kelly has been con- 
nected with hotels in one capacity or another 
ever since he withdrew from the parental 
roof, and his success in this line r)f enterprise 
has seldom been equaled or surpassed. He 
is at present proprietor of the Hotel State 
in Walla Walla, which institution, under his 
shrewd and careful management, has, in the 
four years during which it has been under 
his charge, become one of the finest hotels 
in the city, if indeed it does not surpass all 
others in point of equipment and the excell- 
ence of the accommodations offered to guests. 
Though born in Rhode Island, the date being 
1856, Mr. Kelly may almost be counted as a 
son of the west, his parents having brought 
him via the isthmus route to Roseburg, Ore- 
gon, when he was but four years old. His 
education was acquired in the public schools 
of that town and there the greater portion of 
his minority was passed. Since becoming of 
age he has, as before intimated, devoted his 
time and energies almost exclusively to the 
hotel business, rendering himself master of 
its every detail. He was connected with one 



of the finest hotels in -\storia for four vears, 
then with another institution of the same kind 
in The Dalles two years, after which he was 
in the Hotel Spokane for a brief period. 

For some time after coming to Walla Wal- 
la, which was the next town in which he tried 
his fortunes, he continued in the same line, 
but he subsequently became proprietor of a res- 
taurant, maintaining the same for a period of 
three years. Since that time he has been ]3ro- 
prietor of the Hotel State as above recorded. 
Mr. Kelly is also, like most of the enterprising 
men of the west, interested in the mining in- 
dustry. In fraternal affiliations he is identi- 
fied with the LTnited Artisans, the Woodmen of 
the World, the Knights of Pythias, and the 
Fraternal Order of Eagles. He was married in 
Walla Walla in August, 1891, to Miss Ocy 
Fitzsimmons, a native of Kansas, and they 
are parents of two children, Hattie Beatrice 
and Martina. 



MARK A. EVANS, a farmer six miles 
north of Walla Walla, on Dry creek, is a na- 
tive of Cecil county, Maryland, born in 1826. 
He acquired a public school education, then en- 
gaged in farming, which occupation he fol- 
lowed uninterruptedly until 1850, but in that 
year he moved, via the isthmus, to California, 
and changed his occupation to that of a miner. 
For the next twelve years he lived in the mining 
regions of the Golden state. In 1862, how- 
ever, he came to Florence. Idaho, whence, a 
short time afterward, he removed to his pres- 
ent place of abode and again engaged in farm- 
ing. He has one hundred and eighty acres 
of fine land, on which he raises from fifty 
to sixty bushels of barley per acre. He is 
also a stock raiser, ;md in former times has 
kejit as high as four lumdred head of horses. 



So8 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Mr. Evans has always taken a deep inter- 
est in politics, local and national, and enjoys 
the honor of having been at the national con- 
vention which nominated James K. Polk. 
His fraternal connections were formerly with 
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. 



JOHX A. HOOD.— Among the sons of 
Walla \\'^alla who have grown up to reflect 
credit upon the city of their birth and who. by 
their industry and thrift, have assisted largely 
in the industrial development of this section 
of the Inland Empire, the subject of this brief 
biographical outline has earned an honored 
place. He was born on the loth of March. 
1862, and grew to man's estate on the parental 
home on Cottonwood creek, whither his par- 
ents moved when he was about a year old. 
He was educated in the public schools of the 
county, then gave his time and energies to 
assisting with the work on his father's exten- 
sive farm. He continued to busy himself thus 
until the death of his father, whereupon he 
assumed charge of his share of the inheritance, 
which amounted to about three Inmdred and 
fifteen acres. 

]\Ir. Hood was. however, too ambitious to 
confine his energies within such to him nar- 
row limits so he soon procured one hundred 
and seventy-four acres more adjoining togeth- 
er with four hundred and eightv acres of moun- 
tain land. For years he was engaged in wheat 
raising principally, though he also kept from 
fifty to four hundred bead of cattle, but at 
present he is renting his farm and giving his 
attention to other matters. He is interested 
in the Farmers' warehouse in Walla Walla, 
and has considerable other property in the city 
and county. 



]\Ir. Hood has always so lived as to com- 
mand the esteem and respect of his fellowmen, 
though he has never manifested any particular 
ambition to become a leader among them and 
has never sought political preferment of any 
kind. He is a good citizen and an honored 
and useful member of society. 

He was married in Sherman county, Ore- 
gon, on March 16, 1884, the lady of his choice 
being Miss Fannie Fiedler. They have two 
children. J. Frederick and Ida ]\I. 



CHARLES EDWARD HOOD.— Among 
the most respected and successful farmers and 
stock raisers of Walla Walla county is the man 
whose name initiates this brief biographical 
review. He is one of the sons of the valle}", 
having been born on the parental homestead 
on Cottonwood creek, the date being June 
16. 1868. He received his education in the 
local public schools and in the Empire Busi- 
ness College, and upon completing the same 
engaged in farming with 'his father, continu- 
ing in that industry until the latter's death. 
He then took charge of the portion of the in- 
heritance which fell to him. some three hun- 
dred and seventeen acres, and began farming 
on his own account. He afterward purchased 
another hundred acres close by and a half sec- 
tion of mountain land, all of which he utilizes 
in the production of wheat and in the rearing 
of cattle. 

yir. Hood is especially interested in stock 
raising, and brings a great deal of intelligence 
and skill to bear in improving his cattle. His 
success in this direction is very marked and 
his herds would delight the eye of a connoisseur 
in these matters. He is a man of energ}-, pro- 
gressiveness and force of character, highly es- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



509 



teemed and respected in the cuniiminity lU 
which he Hves, and in every regard a worthy 
son of his native valley. 

He was married in Walla Walla, January 
S, 1895, to Miss Jessie Cameron, daughter of 
the Hon. Alex Cameron, a respected pioneer 
of the county, whose career is outlined in an- 
other part of this volume. Their union has 
been blessed by the advent of one son, Edward 
Ross. 



JA:\IES B. THOMPSON.— Prominent 
for many years in the politics and' govern- 
ment of Walla Walla county, the subject of this 
memoir deserves the recognition and credit 
always due to those who are faithful in the 
discharge of public duties, rendering signal ser- 
vice to those who have entrusted them with 
power. Mr. Thompson was indeed true to 
every trust reposed in him and his memory 
is cherished reverently and with esteem by all 
who knew him in life. 

Our subject was born in Centre county, 
Pennsylvania, in 1838. He began his educa- 
tion there but completed his intellectual dis- 
cipline in Dubuque, Iowa, whither he went 
with his parents in 1846, first, however, spend- 
ing a winter at another point in Iowa. He con- 
tinued to reside in Dubuque until 1864, in 
which year he removed to Walla Walla, mak- 
ing the journey overland in the fashion of the 
times. For a while after his arrival he was 
engaged in farming with his brother, but he 
eventually moved into the city of Walla Walla 
to accept a position as deputy under Sher- 
iff James McAuliff. He served in that 
capacity under Mr. McAuliff for twd terms, 
and during the terms commencing in Novem- 
ber, 1874, and November, 1876, he served in 
a like capacity under Sheriff George Thomas. 



On November 2, 1880, he was himself elected 
to the office of sheriff, and the satisfactory 
character of his service is attested by the fact 
that the electors kept him in office for three 
or four terms. When he finally retired from 
ofBce his health was so poor that he was in- 
capacitated for further participation in any 
business or industry. He never completely re- 
covered and on August 29, 1892, he passed 
out of this life. 

The marriage of our subject to Miss Agnes 
Walker was solemnized in Walla Walla coun- 
ty, ]\Iay 22, 1878, and to their union two 
children were born, Annie E., now Mrs. 
Frank Hesser; and Edward James. 



HON. ANDERSON COX.— One of the 

brightest stars in the galaxy of the eminent 
men of early days is he whose name initiates 
this article. As a business man, as a legislator 
and as one of the most active and potential 
forces in the ushering in of civilization into the 
Pacific northwest, he has left upon this section 
the impress of his vigorous personality, and 
his life record forms part of the history of 
the north Pacific states. Many are the public 
enterprises which his mind planned, but it is 
as the founder of ^^'hitman county that he is 
best known locally. 

Mr. Cox was born in the vicinity of Day- 
ton, Ohio, on March 22. 181 2. His parents, 
John and Johanna (Swallow) Cox were 
Quakers and in his veins the blood of the impul- 
sive Irish and the sturdy Scotch were mingled 
together. He grew to manhood in Ohio, re- 
ceiving only limited educational advantages. 
In 1845 he removed from New London, Iowa, 
t(_i the west, where destiny had great things 
in store for him. He served several terms in 



5IO 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



the legislatures of both Oregon and \\'ashing- 
ton territories, and was prominent in the affairs 
of Walla Walla county, of which he became a 
resident in 1862. also in the founding and or- 
ganization of Whitman county and the city of 
Colfax. He was the first receiver of the land 
office at Walla Walla, helped to survey the ter- 
ritorial road from Walla Walla to Colfax, se- 
cured the location of another territorial road 
from Walla Walla to Colville and in many 
other ways contributed inestimably to the prog- 
ress of the Inland Empire. At the time of his 
death, which occurred suddenly on the road 
between Colfax and Waitsburg. he was taking 
the initial steps towards the construction of a 
sawmill in the then youthful town of Colfax. 

-\Ir. Cox was married in Indiana, on Aug- 
ust 9, 1836, to INIiss Julia A., daughter of Will- 
iam and Sarah \\'alter, and they became par- 
ents of ten children : Lewis. Johanna and Mrs. 
S. Cannon, now residents of Waitsburg ; Philip 
W^., a resident of Whitman county : Jane, after- 
wards Airs. John B. Looney, deceased ; Matil- 
da, now Mrs. W^illiam G. Preston, of Waits- 
burg; Malissa, the first white girl born w 
Lynn county, Oregon, now deceased ; Mary, 
afterwards Airs. C. B. King, deceased ; Alida, 



wife of Thomas J. Smith, of Whitman county ; 
Butlar H. ; Ira, deceased. 

Lewis Cox, the oldest, was born on the Wa- 
bash, near Attica, Indiana, on May 9, 1837. 
He crossed the plains to Salem, Oregon, with 
his parents in 1845, came to Walla \\'alla in 
1 861, bought in with his father in his sawmill 
on the Coppei, near Waitsburg, and also took 
a homestead near that city. He made the 
lumber and erected the first sawmill ever built 
in that vicinity. On August 29, 1858, he mar- 
ried Caroline Bond, and they became the par- 
ents of fourteen children: Albert, deceased; 
Looney S., living with his uncle Philip; Birdie 
E., now wife of Dr. Gritman, of Moscow, 
Idaho; Grant U., in British Columbia; Annie, 
now Mrs. J. L. Harper, of Waitsburg; Frank 
L.. deceased: Frederick, in the dairy business 
at Waitsburg; Anderson B. and Nathan D., 
twins, in the hardware business in Ontario, 
Oregon; Lula, now Mrs. Samuel Ezra, resid- 
ing in Seattle ; Jennie and Tina, twins, the for- 
mer deputy postmistress at ^^'aitsburg, the lat- 
ter at home ; Elmer Elworth, in the stock busi- 
ness in Montana : and Grace, wife of Elmer 
Connick. of \\a.\]a. \\'alla county. Mr. Cox 
still owns an elegant home in Waitsburg. 




